No Dental Fear For Anxious Patients & Nervous Patients: Sedation Dentistry

Latest Dental News: Cleveland doctor practices sedation dentistry

Are you afraid of going to the dentist? If so, you are not alone. An estimated one-third of Americans do not go to the dentist because they are afraid of the potential pain and discomfort. This can lead to many problems because cavities, gum disease, and more go undetected and untreated. This can lead to root canals and tooth loss down the road once the pain becomes more than they can bear.

While many dentists claim to “cater to cowards,” even the nicest of dentists can still leave their patients nervous wrecks. Sedation dentistry is a completely different approach to treating patients and their teeth.

Sedation dentistry is used to provide a relaxing and calming experience for the patient. This is achieved by using varying levels of treatment depending on the patient and the procedure. The most common form is nitrous oxide which is administered throughout the procedure through a nasal mask or hood. The patient still knows what is going on around him, but is much calmer and more relaxed. It also serves to numb the gums, which can make injections easier.

Another option is IV sedation, which delivers the medication intravenously for an immediate result. Unlike nitrous oxide, it induces more of a sleep-like consciousness. It is best used when patients are extremely anxious or scared.

For those who do not like needles, a third option is oral conscious sedation. One benefit of this treatment is that patients do not remember the experience, although they are able to move and respond to the dentist throughout.

Because of the serious nature of the medication, people who use any of these treatments during their dental procedure will need to be driven home. The medication does not wear off quickly enough for the patient to have recovered sufficiently to drive.

If you are afraid of the dentist, that is not reason to put off the treatment that you desperately need for proper dental health. Talk to your dentist about whether he or she performs sedation dentistry. If not, you should look into finding someone else in your area that does.

Source: Sedation Dentistry: Solving Dental Care Concerns For Anxious Patients

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Villagers waiting for a Dentists after NHS Practice Opened

The parlous state of NHS dentistry under Labour was exposed last night after it was revealed 1,000 people in a village ended up on a waiting list for a dentist.

Nearly one in ten of the 11,500-strong population of Tadley were forced to wait after a single NHS practice opened in the Hampshire village.

Their alternatives were paying privately, travelling miles to another NHS dentist - or going without treatment.

Local councillor Nigel Quelch said: 'When I phoned, they said they had a waiting list of 1,000. It shows what a huge demand there is for Health Service dentistry.

'But we're very grateful to the dentist for opening in Tadley.'

In 1999, Tony Blair promised that within two years everyone would have access to an NHS dentist.

Eight years later he admitted failure. A new contract, introduced three years ago to increase numbers of NHS dentists, has also been judged to have made the situation worse - with 1,000 dentists fleeing the NHS.

It means the remaining NHS dentists are overwhelmed and can't take new patients - as the Tadley case shows.

LibDem health spokesman Norman Lamb said: 'We cannot continue with a postcode lottery where people like the Tadley residents can't have access to NHS dentistry.'

Hampshire primary care trust confirmed the list had hit 1,000 in December but has since been cleared.

It said the practice now has 7,000 patients and can't take more - meaning over 4,000 have no dentist in the village.

Source: 1,000 villagers wait for a dentist after just one NHS practice opens

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