In the UK, 93 per cent of people admit to having a fear of the dentist. For the most part they are able to overcome those fears as they know how important a check up is to their dental health. However, for nearly 30 per cent of patients, the fear of the dentist is far more serious and they avoid dental visits completely. This ‘dental phobia’ prevents these patients from receiving the dental care they need, putting them at risk of sacrificing their oral well being.
One option for patients who are unable to receive dental treatment due to dental phobia is to receive treatment under sedation. This practice has been widely used with great success in the USA and Canada and is now being implemented in the UK. It requires no needles and aims to establish a calm and relaxed state in the patient for the duration of treatment by using sedative drugs. These often take the form of tranquilisers, anti-anxiety medications or nitrous oxide, delivered through a variety of means, and can relax a patient to the extent that they can not remember the treatment afterwards.
When administered by a professional, sedation is a safe and effective way of getting patients through traumatic dental procedures. Unlike a general anaesthetic, sedation does not render the patient unconscious, as often the dentist will require the patient to be awake and cooperative during surgery. It is always recommended that patients undergoing oral sedation are accompanied by a responsible caregiver, who can take the patient home after surgery and stay with them for several hours until the effects have worn off.
The benefits of oral sedation are fairly obvious. Patients who would otherwise neglect their oral hygiene and who may be suffering painful dental conditions are able to receive the treatment they need without undue anxiety. Procedures that can last hours, may seem like only minutes to a sedated patient which will greatly limit the discomfort felt by the patients. Ask a Leeds dentist about oral sedation if you or a family member suffers from dental phobia and receive necessary dental treatment without undue anxiety and stress.
Tags: anxiety, dental phobia, sedation, stress
