3 Options for Improving Comfort at the Dental Office

Not everyone likes going to the dentist. Shucks, most people will avoid it if they have the chance. But going to the dentist, no matter how daunting, is an essential part of keeping your smile beautiful and an integral piece of your complete oral healthcare.

Here are 3 tips for keeping calm while undergoing dental treatments:

Wear Comfortable Clothes and Bring a Blanket

The dental office atmosphere can be too clinical for a person’s comfort. Further, offices are often chilly to ensure all materials and tools remain in a sanitary and safe environment. That could mean sitting through a prolonged treatment while either too cold or uneasy. Making sure to bring a blanket and to wear comfortable, cozy clothing will help to ensure your experience in the dental office is pleasant.

Ask for Anesthetics

Most dental clinics have topical anesthesia or numbing cream to reduce the sensation a patient feels while undergoing procedures. If it hasn’t been presented to you as an option, ask for topical anesthetics to ensure pain is tolerable or nonexistent.

Options for Sedation

A step further than anesthesia, sedation gives patients the option of not only reducing sensation but also inducing relaxation during treatment, making for a euphoric, pain-free experience. Patients have the following sedation options:

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, this inhalant is administered through a mask and breathed in while undergoing treatment. This induces a sensation of euphoria while allowing the patient to remain conscious and responsive. Nitrous oxide wears off shortly after stopping administration.

Oral sedation medicine is taken orally at least one hour prior to treatment. This option reduces the sensation the patients may feel from treatment and makes an individual groggy, while remaining conscious enough to respond to questions from the dentist. Patients must arrange transportation to and from the office, as the effects of oral sedation can last well after treatment is over.

Intravenous (IV) sedation is a medication administered directly into the veins, making for the fastest and deepest level of sedation. Dentists require an anesthesiologist come in and monitor the patient’s vital signs to ensure a safe procedure.

Find Out More

We look to ensure our community keeps their oral health in tip-top shape by making oral healthcare accessible to those in need. Call our practice and learn more about other ways to improve your comfort when visiting the dentist. We’re happy to provide proactive services to encourage better overall health.