Is Sedation Dentistry Safe?

Does thinking about the sounds, smells, and sensations of dental procedures trigger a wave of anxiety in you? Or do you worry about dental pain? Whatever causes your dental anxiety, you’re not alone.

Nearly one in 10 children (9%) have some degree of dental anxiety, and one in five adults (19%) report moderate to severe dental anxiety. Some have such overwhelming anxiety they skip routine checkups.

Everyone can face their fears, relax, and get the dental care they need with the support of sedation dentistry. Sedation is safe and well-tolerated when your dental care provider has the required qualifications.

At TLN Family Dental in Houston and Pearland, Texas, our expert team has the training, certification, and experience needed to determine the best sedation option for you, administer the medication, and ensure your comfort and safety. Here’s what you should know. 

Different types of dental sedation

Sedation involves various medications that reduce anxiety and help you relax. These medications also ease pain. However, we combine sedation with a topical anesthetic to ensure total comfort when you’re in the chair. 

There are several levels of sedation, each with an increasingly stronger effect:

Inhaled sedation (laughing gas)

Nitrous oxide is a gas you inhale through a mask. The gas rapidly enters your bloodstream and quickly makes you feel calm and relaxed, but it doesn’t make you drowsy or put you to sleep.

This medication gives you a euphoric feeling, causing some people to laugh. The sense of euphoria helps you disconnect from the dental procedure. Combining laughing gas with a local anesthetic is often all patients need to tolerate dental care.

You eliminate some of the gas every time you exhale. As a result, the gas wears off in five to 10 minutes. We may give you oxygen until you feel fully alert; then, we remove the mask.

Oral sedation

Oral sedation involves taking medication that reduces anxiety and dulls pain. Adults usually take a tablet, capsule, or dissolvable tablet containing triazolam, zaleplon, or lorazepam. For children, we use liquid medication, such as midazolam syrup.

You take the medication an hour before your procedure, which gives it time to take effect. Though you may fall asleep, you’re not unconscious. We can easily wake you up, and you can communicate with us.  

Oral sedation takes time to wear off. You’ll need to ask a friend or family member to drive you home after your appointment.

Intravenous (IV) sedation

IV sedation works quickly because the medication goes straight into your bloodstream. We can adjust the dose to produce moderate to deep sedation. Even with deep sedation, you’re not unconscious (like you would be with general anesthesia).

When you have IV sedation, you retain the protective reflexes that support breathing and other vital functions. By comparison, those reflexes are suppressed when you have general anesthesia. For this reason, IV sedation does not carry the same risks as anesthesia.

Possible side effects of dental sedation

Nitrous oxide, oral sedation, and IV sedation seldom cause side effects or complications. Some people may experience mild symptoms like dizziness, headache, tingling, or nausea. However, these side effects disappear when the gas or medication clears out of your bloodstream.

All medications, including those used for sedation, can result in health problems, including:

• Allergic reactions (sedation drugs seldom cause allergic reactions)
• Respiratory depression (if you have a lung disease)
• Drug interactions (sedation drugs may interact with other medicines you take)

We carefully review your medical history to be sure you can safely have dental sedation. You may not be able to take certain sedation medications if you have a respiratory condition, heart disease, or neurological condition.

Learn how sedation dentistry can help you

Don’t let anxiety stop you from getting dental checkups and procedures. Call TLN Family Dental today, or click online to request an appointment at your nearest office in Houston or Pearland, Texas, at your convenience.