I’m going in for a tooth extraction. I’d planned on getting through this with sedation dental care. I’m a little worried. There is a picture of a woman wearing a nosepiece on his website. Will that put me at risk for Coronavirus? Should I put off this procedure until this is over?
Mercy
Dear Mercy,
Dental sedation is a fantastic way to help people with their anxiety and get them through a procedure they’re not looking forward to in a stress-free manner. You should know there are two levels of dental sedation. Only the first level, nitrous oxide, uses the nose piece. While it is not disposable, they are carefully disinfected after each use.
A Deeper Level of Sedation
If you’re still concerned, you can request the second level of sedation—oral conscious sedation. This is administered by pill, so there is no nosepiece required. However, this is a deeper level of sedation. It is so strong that you will need someone to drive you to and from your dental appointment in addition to remaining with you for several hours afterward until you are lucid and steady on your feet again.
Many patients call this sleep dentistry because they snooze all the way through the procedure, often not even remembering it happened.
Urgent Dental Care
While the government has asked us to avoid routine dental procedures during the COVID-19 quarantine, a tooth extraction is not a routine procedure. It is usually done because of a tooth infection that has gone so far the tooth can no longer be saved.
These are considered urgent dental care appointments. That infection will continue to spread until the infected pulp is removed. If you think about how close your jaw is to your heart, brain, and lungs, you’ll realize how quickly you can go from a tooth infection to a life-threatening infection. Don’t put off this treatment.
This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.