Dental anxiety is more common than you might think, affecting both children and adults across Canada. For many, fear of the dentist leads to skipped appointments, delayed treatments, and worsening oral health problems like tooth decay or gum disease. Fortunately, sedation dentistry offers a safe, effective solution for patients struggling with dental anxiety or dental phobia.
At Village Green Dental in Kanata, we provide customized sedation options designed to help you feel calm, relaxed, and in control during any dental procedure. Whether you’re nervous about a routine cleaning or avoiding treatment due to past experiences, our team is here to support you with compassionate, patient-centred care.
How Common Is Dental Anxiety?
Statistics and studies show that the fear of receiving dental procedures is far-reaching. The Journal of the Canadian Dental Association purports that as much as 22 percent of the population has dental anxiety. This condition is more likely in those who already have another phobia or suffer from disorders that lead to panic, anxiety, and substance abuse.
This phobia ranges from mild anxiety to aggressive and terrifying fear that forces a patient to avoid all dental procedures at any cost. This can have the unfortunate effect of turning mild dental issues into more serious conditions.
Types of Sedation Dentistry
Also known as sleep dentistry, sedation dentistry engages the use of medication before a dental procedure to help the patient relax during the procedure. The medication may put the patient to sleep but not all types of sedation used in dentistry intend for that outcome.
There are three main types of medication used in sedation dentistry
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Nitrous Oxide
Known colloquially as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a colourless, odourless gas that a patient breathes in through a mask. It slows the body’s reactions and creates a feeling of relaxation and euphoria, hence the colloquial name.
The effects of nitrous oxide are swift and the recovery from the gas is just as quick. This allows the patient to receive the procedure quickly and also handle transportation after it is complete. However, this also means that the gas must be constantly given to the patient during the procedure to numb the pain of the procedure.
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Oral Sedation
Instead of breathing in a gas, the sedation is taken orally in the form of a pill. This method isn’t as fast as laughing gas so the pill needs to be taken 30 – 60 minutes before the procedure begins.
The effects of the pill can make its recipient lose track of time, allowing an extended procedure to feel like a short visit. However, the sedation will not wear off quickly so the patient will require help getting home after the procedure is complete.
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Intravenous Sedation
Also known as general sedation, this medication will most likely put the patient to sleep. IV sedation is often used for oral procedures that are complex and lengthy.
Drugs are introduced intravenously into the bloodstream, allowing the patient to relax, if not fall asleep. The sedation drugs used have been known to give patients memory loss for the period between when the drugs take effect and after they wear off.
How Does Sedation Dentistry Help?
The anti-anxiety medications used in during sedation dentistry either create an altered, more euphoric, state in the patient or allows them to fall asleep. This prevents patients who have dental anxiety from panicking during dental procedures.
The sedation also has anesthetic properties to block pain. No matter how serious the dental issue is or how complex the procedure required is, the pain felt will be minimal, if not nil.
Relief for Patients With a Strong Gag Reflex
One of the lesser-known but significant benefits of sedation dentistry is its ability to help patients with an overactive gag reflex. A strong gag reflex can make even simple procedures like impressions, X-rays, or cleanings feel uncomfortable or impossible.
Sedation relaxes your body and reduces the sensitivity of your gag response, allowing dental work to be completed more efficiently and with far less stress. If you’ve ever felt embarrassed or frustrated by a sensitive gag reflex, sedation dentistry can help you receive care more comfortably and confidently.
What to Expect During Your Sedation Dentistry Visit
If you’re considering dental sedation at Village Green Dental, we make the process smooth and worry-free. Here’s what to expect:
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Consultation and Personalized Care Plan
During your initial visit, we’ll review your medical history, discuss your symptoms and concerns, and recommend the best type of sedation for your needs, whether that’s nitrous oxide, oral sedation, or IV sedation.
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Clear Instructions Before Your Appointment
You’ll receive clear pre-appointment guidelines. For example, with oral sedation or IV sedation, you may need to avoid food or drink for a certain time beforehand and arrange a ride home.
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A Calm Monitored Appointment
On the day of your procedure, our team ensures your comfort and safety at every step. Sedation will begin before the procedure, and we’ll monitor your vital signs throughout. Many patients describe the experience as dreamy, peaceful, or as if it passed by in minutes. We’ll give you detailed aftercare instructions and check in on your recovery. Depending on the sedation type, you may feel drowsy or groggy afterward, but most patients return to normal within a few hours.
Village Green Dental Care – Kanata’s #1 Sedation Dentistry Clinic
Dental anxiety is a common issue that can lead to serious health conditions. With sedation dentistry, those fears and worries can be overcome and the needed dental care can be provided.
Please contact us if you have any concerns or worries about dental care. Village Green Dental Care provides the best dentistry services in Kanata and the surrounding areas. We provide our services with excellence and compassion to meet the needs of our patients. If required for a dental procedure, Village Green also offers sedation dentistry to any who needs it. Choose us to alleviate your dental care worries.
