Month: December 2021

can i eat before dental sedation

Can I Eat Before Dental Sedation? Tips To Prepare

For sedation dentistry services in Tucson, AZ, call Smile Perfection at 520-293-2166.

Dental sedation refers to the process of a dental professional administering a sedative before an operation to alleviate dental anxieties. This sedative helps patients relax, allowing the procedure to go smoothly. 

Many patients have questions about the dental sedation process, like “can I eat before dental sedation?” 

Smile Perfection is Tucson’s most trustworthy dental office offering several dental care services such as dental implants, sleep apnea mouthguards, and much more. Our experienced team ensures that you leave our office feeling positive about your dental health. 

Here are some tips to help you prepare for your operation, depending on the type of sedation provided by your dentist. 

Nitrous Oxide 

When patients ask, “can I eat before dental sedation?” it depends on what sedation type their dentist uses during the operation. 

If your procedure requires nitrous oxide, there are no diet restrictions before your appointment. Nitrous oxide is commonly referred to as laughing gas. It is the mildest form of oral sedation that dentists use. 

When you inhale nitrous oxide, you will be aware of your surroundings during the procedure. However, the sedative will relax you to the point of not feeling anxious. 

We recommend eating light before your procedure. This sedative does make some patients nauseous. Therefore, you should keep eating to a minimum until you know how your body reacts to nitrous oxide. 

Oral Sedation 

Oral sedation refers to a dental professional giving a patient a sedative pill before a procedure. Because people react differently to oral medication, advice varies regarding whether or not you should eat beforehand.

You can drink clear liquids leading up to your procedure. For expert advice, consult with your dental professional before your appointment. 

IV Sedation 

The strongest form of sedation is when an oral surgeon uses an IV to sedate a patient. You will be unaware of what is going on in the operating room. 

Typically, your dentist will provide you with dietary limitations leading up to the procedure. In most cases, you cannot eat for up to six hours before your procedure. It is best to show up with an empty stomach. 

Local Anesthesia

Although local anesthesia is not technically a form of sedation, you may have dietary restrictions implemented by your dentist. We recommend eating light, as anesthesia may cause nausea. 

Anesthesia will numb most of the pain during your procedure. You may feel a slight pinch when your dentist injects the numbing agent. Otherwise, you should feel next to nothing. 

Schedule an Appointment Today

We hope we provided an answer to your question, “can I eat before dental sedation?” 

Smile Perfection aims to make you feel as comfortable as possible before dental sedation. Our hospitable customer service staff will answer all your questions before your appointment, relieving any stress you may have about your procedure. 

To schedule a dental appointment with Smile Perfection for yourself or your child, call our Tucson, Arizona office at 520-293-2166

We are also available for emergency dental work at any time! Here, you can learn more about dental anesthesia.

Dentistry at Home

Dentist check a patient at home

Research shows that there is a strong link between heart diseases and gum disease. Gum diseases and tooth decay can affect the quality of life for the elderly. Regular dental care ensures that aging patients remain hearty and healthy.

However, more often than not, they do not seek dental treatment due to various disabilities. An at-home dentist ensures that housebound and elderly patients receive proper dental care. Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment, they provide dental care in the comfort of their home.

This article takes you through at-home dentistry, its benefits, services, and more. Not sure how this works, we also show you the entire process from making an appointment to the dental visit.

Do Dentists do House Calls?

Not all dentists do house calls. Only a mobile dentist has the training or equipment to treat you at home. They make house call visits to

  • Independent living homes
  • Nursing homes
  • Assisted living facilities
  • Hospices
  • Retirement homes

A mobile dentist can do dental treatments in beds or wheelchairs where ever the patient feels comfortable. They do almost anything that is done in an office.

What is Mobile Dentistry?

The practice of providing dental care for a patient in their own home is called mobile dentistry. This makes it possible for seniors and bedbound patients to receive dental care. They are a mobile dental clinic equipped with portable technology that allows a dentist to provide quality care. It may include:

  • Wheeled dental units
  • Sterilization units
  • Handheld Xrays
  • Custom dental chairs

This enables the dentists to diagnose and treat various dental issues at home or at-site. Mobile dentists are also highly qualified to treat dental emergencies at your house.

Why Choose a Home Dental Care?

There are many reasons why a patient may choose at-home dental care instead of a clinic. The most important of them are disability and advanced age. People with disabilities find it hard to travel to a clinic and, above all, wait for their turn. Other patients who may require are people with:

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Neurodevelopmental disorders
  • Visual impairments
  • Cognitive disabilities

Fitted out with state-of-the-art mobile equipment, home dental care provides the same quality of care as a traditional setting. This allows them to be independent while availing dental care in the confines of their home.

In-home dentistry also helps the dentist understand the home environment. This makes it easy to adjust their treatment. Home visits also benefit people who are low on time. Since there are no waiting times, patients on a time crunch can still work and not lose their oral health.

How Does At-Home Dental Care Work?

woman patient visiting dentist

Not able to visit a dentist for some reason? An at-home dentist will come to you at your own home. While the choices are limited, they should be able to perform any essential treatment. However, keep in mind that not all dentists do home visits.

You need to find a dental service that specializes in at-home dentistry. Google and Yelp can do the leg work for you and find some relevant dentists close to you. Here’s how it works.

Schedule Dental Exams

You should be able to book an appointment online or via phone. Once your appointment is booked, the dentist will contact you to discuss the timings of the visit. Do not wait in case of dental emergencies. In-home dentists are experienced in handling any dental emergency.

Dental Team Visit

The visiting dental professionals perform an evaluation, including x-rays in the patient’s home. If any immediate treatment is necessary, they will get it out of the way in the first visit. In case the patient needs any continued care, they will work with you to schedule another visit. For example, in the case of dentures, impressions need to be sent to the lab. And the denture will be fitted in the follow-up visit.

Mobile dentists also do routine cleaning for maintaining proper dental health. It also helps protect against decay. You will be required to make a follow-up appointment as and when needed. They also instruct the family members or the caregiver about the oral care needed for the patient.

Routine Follow-up Visits

According to the experts, you need to do a routine dental checkup every six months. And a periodic cleaning every three months. Regular dental exams and cleanings are vital for good oral health.

They will also schedule any follow-up visits, including periodic checkups. Any logistics related to the schedule will be taken care of by them.

What Does a House Call from a Dentist Entail?

A mobile dentist specializes in treating a patient from the comfort of their own home. They work with the patient for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental diseases.

A house call with your dentist includes an oral assessment wherein they evaluate your oral and general health. Then they formulate an oral therapy (prevention and maintenance) for continued treatment. They will also treat you within the scope of their practice.

In case of any issues with your dental prosthetics, a visiting prosthodontist should be able to help you. However, it may take multiple visits from a dentist.

Benefits of At-Home Dental Care

Though the reach of mobile dentistry is not as broad as a traditional setting, it has quite a few benefits. Above all, it enables seniors and the disabled to access dental care from within their homes.

Here are a few benefits of at-home dental care:

Quality Dental Care

Mobile dentistry helps seniors, and people with limited mobility to receive quality dental care. Limited mobility includes bedridden, homebound, and those who use wheelchairs. Often in a traditional setting, it is difficult for them to receive proper dental care. Furthermore, you can get the work done fast with fewer distractions.

Compassionate Dental Care

For people who cannot leave the confines of their home, at-home dental care is quite useful. It is also helpful for special needs people who feel disoriented in a new environment. The unorthodox environment also reduces the stress level associated with a dental visit.

Comprehensive Services

Much like a clinic, a mobile dental clinic offers a wide variety of treatments to its patients. Of course, there are accessibility issues, but a specialist would handle those. From routine cleaning to root canal and extraction, mobile dentists offer comprehensive services.

Dental Emergencies

Not all dentists will be able to fit in your emergencies. But your mobile dentist will always be equipped for any dental emergency that may arise at any time of the day. And it also provides a stress-free environment to seniors.

Oral Care for Elderly Patients and Homebound Patients

Dental care for the elderly is quite different from that of others. More often than not, their dental needs are not met. The mobile clinic is equipped with dentists who specialize in treating seniors and other bedbound patients. They bridge the gap by providing geriatric care and much-needed attention.

Dental Services for Home Bound Patients

dentist visiting an old patient at home

All at-home dentists should be able to provide routine cleaning and assessment. Apart from that, they also perform the following dental procedures.

  • Oral exam
  • Digital x-ray
  • Tooth extraction
  • Assess and treat tooth pain
  • Filling (for tooth decay)
  • Root canal treatment 
  • Fix broken or loose dentures
  • Denture adjustments

With mobile dentistry, you can receive quality dental care in the conform of your home.

Can You Fill a Tooth at Home?

It is not advisable to fill a tooth without the supervision of a dentist. Home tooth filling kits do not work as efficiently as those done by dentists. However, if you cannot visit a clinic, a mobile dentist can do a tooth filling in your home.

Can Tooth Extraction be Done at Home?

It is never safe to do a tooth extraction at home without a dentist being present. The chances are that you may end up breaking the tooth, and parts of it can still stay inside. If you are in pain, either visit a dental emergency. Or contact an at-home dental clinic. They will perform the tooth extraction in the comfort of your home.

Conclusion

At-home dental care is an alternative to the traditional setting for seniors. And it is also a godsend for people confined to their homes like the disabled and special needs.

The main advantage is that the patients do not need to leave the comfort of their homes. They can also avoid the long queues and wait in waiting rooms. At-home dentistry brings dental care right to your living room.

On the downside, they can be expensive but not by a considerable margin. However, the quality of dental care at both at-home and a traditional setting remains the same. And so are the services. In a home environment, they are much more portable and handy.

Here at Smile Perfection, Dr. Pandhi can perform nearly all the same procedures during dental house calls as in his office: fillings, root canals, crowns, bridges, restorative work, and periodontal treatments, including root planning and scaling. To schedule an appointment or speak with our team about our dental house calls in the Tucson, AZ area, please call 520-293-2166 or fill out the form on our Contact page.

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