The majority of people believe that sedation dentistry is only for patients who are fearful or anxious when visiting the dentist. While sedation dentistry is commonly used for these types of patients, it’s also a great option for patients who have a severe gag reflex and find it challenging to tolerate dental treatments.
Gag reflexes are typically the result of physiological or psychological responses and can be triggered by emotional or physical feelings. They make it difficult for patients to swallow and catch their breath.
If you have a severe gag reflex, sedation dentistry can help you obtain the dental services you need in a painless and comfortable way. The night before your appointment and the morning of it, you will be asked to take a pill. After you’ve been driven to our office, our dental team will escort you to your dental chair.
At this point, you will feel sleepy and relaxed. If necessary, our Raleigh dentists will administer nitrogen oxygen or a laughing gas to make sure you are completely comfortable and ready for your dental treatment. After your procedure, you will have no recollection of what happened and be ready to move on with your life.
Thanks to sedation dentistry, you can relax completely, remove your anxiety, and relax the throat muscles that create your gag reflex. Since anxiety can worsen your gag reflex, when you’re more relaxed overall, your gag reflex won’t be as much of a problem.
Schedule an Appointment at Wainright & Wassel DDS
If a gag reflex has prevented you from getting the dental care you need, you should contact our office at 919-847-1322 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to meeting you and educating you further on sedation dentistry.