If you ask people why they don’t like going to the dentist, chances are you’ll get a whole slew of different answers. According to the Huffington Post, some common dentist-related fears include fear of the equipment, triggering a gag reflex, aversion to loud noises, and general discomfort.
But what if your trip to the dentist didn’t have to include any of these anxiety triggers? This isn’t a hypothetical situation — sedation dentistry has made comfortable dental experiences the new reality. If you’re not already sold, here are three great reasons why you should try sedation dentistry.
- Soothe Dental Anxiety
As many as 20% of Americans will avoid the dentist unless absolutely necessary due to dental anxiety. If you fall into that category, sedation dentistry can help make the dentist a less scary place. Your dentist will have a range of different sedatives at their disposal, and they’ll work with you to find the one best suited for your needs.
If your dental anxiety is mild, an option like nitrous oxide can help you relax without rendering you completely unconscious. But if you have severe anxiety, your dentist can make sure to choose a sedation option like IV sedation or general anesthesia to put you to sleep.
With sedation dentistry, many of the common triggers of dental anxiety are rendered moot. If you go into your dental appointment knowing you won’t have to deal with the loud noises or your gag reflex, it will help calm your worries and make your procedure much more relaxed.
- Ease the Pain of Dental Procedures
Many patients cite the anticipation of pain as a reason for disliking the dentist. That’s a fair point — it’s tough to walk into a doctor’s office and know it’s going to hurt. Numbing may not be enough for someone with a low pain threshold, and even if the numbing works, you may feel general discomfort during the procedure.
With a sedation dentist, you don’t need to worry about pain or discomfort. Opting to be fully sedated during a procedure means that you’ll feel no pain. Afterwards, your dentist will provide you with painkillers that will help stave off any lingering pain.
- Long Procedures Will Feel Just Minutes Long
Even if you’re a person who doesn’t mind going to the dentist, it’s highly unlikely that you enjoy being awake for an hours-long procedure involving a dentist poking around or drilling in your mouth. Sedation dentistry has the answer to that too, in the form of IV sedation or general anesthesia. These are more intensive forms of sedation than oral options, but they render you unconscious while your procedure takes place. It’s much more comfortable to sleep through a procedure than it is to try to combat discomfort while awake — noise-cancelling headphones can only do so much.
In addition to letting you sleep through surgery, IV sedation actually has an amnesiac effect, which means that you won’t even remember the procedure taking place. This is a particularly good option for invasive treatments, like wisdom teeth surgery. You’ll be unconscious for the entire procedure. When you wake up, it’ll feel like you’ve been asleep for just a few minutes, and you won’t even remember all of that drilling and scraping.
Whether you’re afraid of the dentist or not, the benefits of sedation dentistry make it a must-try for anyone looking to improve their experience with the dentist. Search for a sedation dentist in your area and give it a try — maybe you’ll become someone who likes the dentist, after all.