Understanding What You Need To Do Before IV Dental Sedation

Posted on: 29 August 2018

If you have extreme dental fears or if you are scared about the pain during a fairly serious dental procedure, then you may want to look into sedation dentistry. The dental professional may offer you IV sedation, and if you choose this sedation, you will need to do some things to prepare early for your appointment. Keep reading to learn about the preparation.

Do Not Eat Before

IV sedation is a lot like the sedation used before a surgical operation, without the inhaled anesthetics. And, like a major surgery, you will need to follow some of the same guidelines. One of these guidelines involves not eating for a period before the procedure. Your dental professional will inform you of this time period, but you typically will be unable to eat for six to eight hours beforehand.

Also, your physician will probably tell you not to drink any fluids besides water, and you may not be able to take medication. If you require medicine, then you may be able to take it several hours prior to your appointment, but probably not right before.

Eating before a medical procedure that involves sedation can place you at risk of aspirating. Basically, if you vomit, the food can enter the trachea, and this can lead to your choking. Additionally, some people will feel ill after a surgical procedure. If you do not have food in your stomach, then you will be less likely to vomit.

Take The Entire Day Off

IV sedation does require you to take the entire day off from work and from other important daily activities. So, make sure to arrange for this ahead of time. You will need some to take you home as well. Often, the dental office can contact your driver when your procedure is finishing if they do not want to sit in the waiting room.

Keep in mind that you will be drowsy for at least a few hours after the operation and you may also experience some confusion and amnesia. This means you should not operate a car within the next 12 to 24 hours. Make sure to complete important tasks beforehand and ask a family member or trusted friend to pick up prescriptions for you, like antibiotics and pain relievers supplied by the dental professional.

You should also ask the trusted individual to watch for signs of sedation complications like prolonged nausea and vomiting. If you want to know more about sedation dentistry, the use of IV sedation, and what you can expect, speak with a dental professional.

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When my three children were young, they were all excited to go to the dentist. The dentist's office was great fun with a large fish tank and a variety of puzzle toys in the waiting room. I liked the pediatric dental office so much that I jumped at the chance when I was offered a receptionist job. Many of the children who came to see the dentist were not nearly as happy as my children. Most kids were scared and anxious, and I learned fairly quickly that the children were worried because they had no idea what to expect. The dentist at the office provided me with a set of dental tools that I could show to the children. I explained how each of the devices worked. This eased the fears, and I started this blog so parents could share dental information with their children before dental visits.

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