How Will Dental Sedatives Make Me Feel?

If you’re someone who’s ordinarily anxious at the dentist’s office, sedation dentistry can be a powerful tool to help you relax. However, for some patients, even thinking about sedation dentistry has the opposite effect; if they don’t know what to expect, they wind up a bit more nervous about the whole procedure.

That being the case, it can often be a good idea to learn a little bit more about the sedative that you’re receiving or before the day of your procedure. Here’s a little bit of information about the various sedatives available to you, how they’ll make you feel, and how long they should affect you.

What Kinds of Sedatives Are There?

As you can imagine, the way that you’ll feel under the effects of a certain nerve depends on which one you are receiving. The two most common are oral conscious sedation and nitrous oxide sedation, each of which has its own uses in dentistry.

The sedative that you pick will have a large influence on how you feel during the procedure, when you’ll have to take it, and how long it’s going to last. Therefore, it’s often smart to talk to your dentist before the procedure about which one is best for you.

How Will Sedatives Make Me Feel?

Nitrous oxide sedation is a gas administered through a mask. It tends to be the mildest sedative and, as you would expect from something called laughing gas, typically makes patients feel light and giggly. Patients sometimes say that being under nitrous oxide Makes them feel like they’re floating, or that they experience a pleasant tingling in their limbs.

Oral conscious sedation comes in pill form, and it’s typically a bit stronger. As opposed to feeling light many patients feel heavy while under the influence of this drug. This provides patients with a deeper relaxation, so much so that many even fall asleep over the course of the procedure. Of course, your dentist will be happy to nudge you awake should this happen to you.

How Long Do Sedatives Last?

Again, this depends on which one you choose. Nitrous oxide sedation will wear off pretty quickly after the flow of gas stops, usually within 5 minutes or so. On the other hand, oral conscious Sedatives are taken before the appointment and will last long after. That being the case, patients under the influence of the latter should refrain from driving operating heavy machinery for the rest of the day.

That said, everybody responds to medications differently, which means that it’s generally a good idea to have someone drive you back from your appointment if you plan to undergo sedation.

About Our Practice

At On Point Dentistry, we know that not everybody is the biggest fan of the dentist, but we aim to change that for our patients. Not only do we offer sedation services for anxious patients, but we also do what we can to make sure that every element of our care is as comfortable and easy as it can be for the people who visit us. No matter how simple or complex the care that you receive from us is, you can be sure that you will receive our undivided attention and all the respect that you deserve.

If you have any questions about sedation dentistry, we can be reached at our website or by phone at (469) 476-4092.