7th Street Dental
Oral Sedation

Oral sedation comes in pill form and is given at the beginning of your appointment and you are monitored by staff while sedating. This form of sedation promotes a deep sense of relaxation, and some patients may feel so relaxed that they may fall asleep. However, you can be easily awakened with a gentle nudge.

One of the key benefits of oral sedation is that it has an amnesiac effect, so you forget the details of your treatment, removing any sense of anxiety when you return for your next dental visit.

We recommend that patients who suffer from dental anxiety discuss these concerns with their dentist. They can assess if this option will work well for you and provide the sedation pill and will monitor you at your visit.

Dental oral sedation is safe to use for both adults and kids. Oral sedation is particularly useful for children who are fearful of the dentist and have problems staying still in the dental chair.

Most dentists give oral sedation no less than an hour before your treatment and then monitor to ensure you receive the full effect of your treatment. Unlike other forms of sedation that kick in more quickly, oral sedation takes a little time.

If the oral sedation makes you feel so relaxed that you fall asleep during treatment, don’t worry; oral conscious sedation isn’t designed to knock you out completely like a general anesthetic, and your dentist can easily wake you.

After you’ve taken your oral sedation pill, the sedative effect will take effect within an hour. You’ll begin to feel very relaxed and may also feel groggy over time, causing you to fall asleep. The effects of the sedation can last for several hours, for this reason, it’s important that you refrain from driving, so you’ll need a friend or family member to pick you up and drive you back home as well.

If you would like to learn more about oral sedation and how it can help you combat dental anxiety, we’re happy to answer your questions.