Oral Sedation
Do high levels of anxiety make dental visits difficult for you? Sedation dentistry might be right for you.
Dental phobia is real and can feel overwhelming for many people. Past negative experiences, fear of needles or drills, and strong gag reflexes are just some reasons people feel intense anxiety about dental appointments.
If dental phobia affects you, we’re here to help! At Downtown Endodontics, we recognize how real your fears are. Our staff will treat you with gentleness and care, and oral sedation can transform your dental experience.
Benefits for patients include: completing treatment while feeling more relaxed, sitting more comfortably through longer procedures, and experiencing less discomfort afterward.
Anti-Anxiety Pills
The most common dental anxiety medications belong to the “benzodiazepine” family, such as Valium, Halcion, and Xanax. These medications reduce anxiety by calming activity in the brain’s “fear” receptors.
There are two different types of Benzodiazepines:
Sedative-Hypnotics: These create calmness, drowsiness, and sometimes sleep. This sleep state is actually a form of hypnosis and physiological sleep.
Anti-Anxiety Drugs: These relieve anxiety and create a calm, relaxed state.
While benzodiazepines work as both sedatives and anti-anxiety medications, some target sleep-related brain areas more directly. Others focus more specifically on fear centers. Typically, higher doses create sedation and sleep, while lower doses reduce anxiety without causing drowsiness.
Benzodiazepines are Central Nervous System (CNS) depressants, meaning they can lower blood pressure and breathing. Never combine them with other CNS depressants like alcohol. Always use the exact dose your dentist or doctor prescribes. Overdoses can dangerously slow breathing, potentially leading to coma or death.
After taking these medications, do NOT travel alone—even by bus or on foot. Arrange for someone to accompany you, as disorientation can happen easily.
When not to take benzodiazepines:
These medications can affect your liver and heart. Check with your practitioner and/or pharmacist first. Inform your doctor or dentist if any of these apply to you: known allergy to the medication, narrow-angle glaucoma, pregnancy, severe respiratory disease (COPD), congestive heart failure (CHF), impaired kidney or liver function, depression/bipolar disorder/psychoses, chronic bronchitis, and certain other conditions. Also let us know about any other medications you’re taking, as interactions are possible.