Don't Let Anxiety Prevent You From Getting Dental Treatment: We Offer IV Sedation

You probably know someone who suffers from dental fear. In fact, you may be someone who does. Dental fear is extremely common, and estimates of those who suffer from it are as high as 24% of the population.

With sedation dentistry, you can receive treatment without experiencing the anxiety and fear you associate with dental procedures. 

We at Ueno Center Dental Specialists want all of our patients to feel safe, secure, and comfortable. That’s why our founder, Jeremy K. Ueno, DMD, and our other providers offer a range of dental sedatives, including IV sedation, also known as twilight sedation.

How to recognize and understand dental fear and anxiety 

A number of different issues can cause dental fear. For example, a 2014 study found some people develop a fear of going to the dentist because they or someone they know had a bad experience. Others might trace it back to something they saw in the media, while still others might have inherited the fear or simply suffer from a nervous personality. 

It’s common to feel a little on edge when you visit the dentist. But for some individuals, the feeling goes beyond nervousness and becomes anxiety or even fear.

Look for the signs and symptoms in yourself or a loved one before going to the dentist to recognize the presence of dentophobia: 

• Sweating 
• Crying 
• Hiding with humor or shutting down instead of feeling one’s emotions 
• Stomach discomfort 
• Quickened or irregular heartbeat 
• Low or high blood pressure 

When these symptoms begin to arise, you know that your discomfort isn’t healthy. In fact, many people avoid going to the dentist altogether, skipping even regular cleanings to avoid hearing worse news from the dentist. Unfortunately, this only makes severe issues more likely to occur.

The forms of sedation dentistry 

We don’t believe anyone should have to sweat through a dental procedure, let alone avoid getting the treatment they need for their oral health. That’s why we offer a comprehensive set of sedation options. 

Sedation dentistry ranges from local anesthetic — which almost all patients receive when necessary — to general anesthesia. This last option is only for surgeries and patients with extreme dental phobia. Options like nitrous oxide and IV sedation fall somewhere in between. 

Nitrous oxide helps keep you awake but relaxed. But some patients need to be less aware during the entire procedure. This is where IV sedation comes in. 

Why IV sedation might work for you

If you are someone who has avoided going to the dentist due to your dental phobia, IV sedation is likely the best route for you. 

IV sedation allows you to be very relaxed, even to feel like you’re dozing off. You won’t need assistance breathing, though, and you’ll be able to respond to verbal cues. We give the medicine intravenously, which means it starts to work very quickly.

In addition, it makes you comfortable for a long period of time, which we can manage and adjust, allowing us to complete multiple procedures while you’re sedated. 

IV sedation has helped so many people face their fears and get the care they need. Do you think it’s time for you to try this treatment? Just call us to make an appointment at our office in Campbell, California, today.