Can you use oral sedation for a dental cleaning?

There aren’t many who would consider a trip to the dentists fun, but they may describe it as tolerable. For others, it’s a time filled with a kind of fear and anxiety that is very difficult to overcome. The dread may come from a past bad experience that is projected into all future appointments. It can make even simple procedures like dental cleaning impossible. This is where sedation comes to the rescue.

Benefits of oral sedation

• Alleviates feelings of fear and anxiety during dental procedures
• Induces feelings of relaxation and a state of calmness
• Easy to administer in the form of 1 or 2 pills
• Safe to use, dangerous side effects are extremely rare
• Remain awake and responsive
• Will not remember procedures
• Is useful for carrying out dental cleaning
• Can be use for more extensive procedures like wisdom tooth extraction or root canals
• Can be used on children

Sedation is available to patients who need extra help to relax during a trip to get their teeth cleaned. There are 3 forms of sedation that can be used: Intravenous (through an IV), nitrous oxide (a gas) and oral sedation (a pill).

Of the three, oral sedation is the easiest, plus it works well for those patients with a fear of needles. When a patient chooses this method, the dentist will prescribe a pill form of benzodiazepine (Triazolam®, Ativan®, etc), to be taken about an hour before the appointment. By the time the patient is sitting in the dentist’s chair, they’ll feel awake but very relaxed and calm. They will be able to hear and respond to the dentist but will have no memory of the work being done.

Something to be aware of when choosing oral sedation is that transportation to and from the dentist will need to be arranged as the patient can not drive themselves.

Ask your dentist at Riverside Heights Dental in Surrey if you are interested in oral sedation during your dental procedure. 604-584-2535