Afraid of the Dentist?
AFRAID OF THE DENTIST AND MENACING NEEDLES? DENTALS PHOBES GET PLACATED WITH A PILL
Fifty percent of the population does not visit a dentist and of that percentage, 35 million are dental phobic. Many avoid the dentist for so long that they are often forced to see one when tooth pain becomes unbearable. Very often, what might have been a simple procedure if regular visits had been kept can evolve into an expensive and time consuming dental experience. For the truly phobic, many need to visit an oral surgeon to be sedated with IV simply to have a tooth extracted. This phobia often stems from memories of a negative experience. What if there were a "magic pill" that could make dental procedures not only pleasant, but cause the patient to lose all sense of time and place while in the dental chair? Upon awakening, the patient would only recall the positive aspect of the experience, therefore reducing their fear of subsequent visits.
Welcome to sedation dentistry. Dr. Joel Singer, is a Ft. Lee, New Jersey dentist who has been at the forefront of this method of sedation. He has witnessed numerous dental phobics during his years in practice and is thrilled that there is finally a modality to relax the jittery patient. Prior to dental surgery, Dr. Singer sends his patients home with a small blue pill from the same family as Valium. They are instructed not to eat, take sedatives, and have caffeine, or nicotine for twelve hours prior to a procedure in order that the pill will have the maximum effect. They are brought to the office by a responsible adult at which time Dr. Singer assesses how sedated the patient is. In order to make the patient very comfortable and secure, they are seated in a plush dental chair and given blankets as Dr. Singer monitors their level of sedation with a pulse oximeter. This machine is able to gauge blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and pulse. No treatment is begun until the patient feels completely relaxed. What makes this method so safe is that the patient is breathing on his own and is only in a minimally altered conscious state. Because the effects of the pill remain in the body only a relatively short time (known as a half life), a patient may need to be given more medication intra operatively. This is done by crushing the pill under the tongue.
Typically, patients have no awareness of the first pinch of the needle. Their body is too relaxed to exhibit the fight or flight response that would precipitate a pounding heart or even a gag reflex. Patients who tend to gag on oral instruments or fingers in their mouth are excellent candidates for oral sedation. Although these patients can have no obvious reason for a strong gag reflex, the majority of them have some hidden psychological element to this problem such as dental phobia, anxiety, or claustrophobia. When the procedure is over, Dr. Singer will give a patient Gatorade to perk them up. Because they have an empty stomach, they will quickly feel the effects of the sugar. They are accompanied from the office to their home by an adult.
The majority of the population is a candidate for sedation dentistry. Those who would be excluded include pregnant or nursing women, and those less than 18 years of age. For much of the population who has shunned the dentist due to fear, sedation dentistry allows them to experience dental work in a dream like state and awake with only positive affirmations. There has long been a saying, "ignore your teeth and they will go away." For 35 million Americans, a visit to the dentist now gives them something to smile about.
Joel Singer DDS
Ph: 201 592-6222
Fort Lee, New Jersey