The stress and anxiety related to a dental procedure can often result in avoiding or delaying dental treatment. This happens more often in special needs and medically compromised individuals. Dental anxiety can be linked to specific triggers such as drills, needles, or the dental setting in general. When dental anxiety is severe and causes irrational fear and total avoidance of going to the dentist, it is known as dental phobia. In addition to adults and children who are special needs, people who suffer from mental health disorders, for instance, generalized anxiety disorder, depression, PTSD, bipolar disorder, or a previous history of trauma, have an increased risk of experiencing dental anxiety. These individuals can find benefits in general anesthesia while undergoing dental procedures.
People with dental anxiety can experience different symptoms like sweating, increased heartbeat or palpitations, low blood pressure, and possible fainting with visible distress. Special needs and Medically compromised adults or children can exhibit or signs of panic and start crying.
These anxious patients will miss dental appointments routinely and will find it difficult to undergo dental treatments regardless of whether they are complex or straightforward. Some of the reasons for having dental treatment under general anesthesia by our North Carolina Hospital Dentistry are:
· The patient is medically compromised or too young to understand and cooperate for dental procedures.
· The patient has special needs for health care.
· A large number of cavities in the teeth make it hard for the patient to handle treatment while awake.
· The patient is fearful of dental treatment that sedation medicine is not enough to help him or her gets over the fears.
Some additional benefits of getting dental treatments under general anesthesia by our hospital dentists in Raleigh, North Carolina are:
· When compared to oral sedation or inhalation sedation, general anesthesia gives a strong sedative effect.
· The effect is quicker and. Since general anesthesia drugs are potent, they work effectively.
· General anesthesia Eases severe dental anxiety of patients.
· General anesthesia produces temporary amnesia.
· It does not induce the gag reflex, making dental treatment more accessible and more comfortable.
Learning how to improve the care of your oral health shouldn’t be missed in lieu of Dental anxiety. Contact North Carolina Hospital Dentistry if you would like to learn more about Comprehensive Dentistry with General Anesthesia.
Dr. Vejay K. Ravindran DDS, MS