6 Things to Do After Dental Sedation

Here are six tips to help you feel normal quickly after dental sedation.

Patients are often scared of sedation, despite how safe the practice is. One of the crucial reasons why is the strange feelings that people experience when they come off of the sedative, which might include nausea, confusion, and disorientation. Here are six tips for fighting these possible side effects and feeling normal as quickly as possible after sedation.

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The Dental Anesthesia Center: Sedation and Sleep Dentistry

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Whitney S.

I cannot say enough wonderful things about The Dental Anesthesia Center and Dr. Thoms. My 7-year-old, who has autism, recently had dental work done here and the experience exceeded expectations. The staff was incredibly kind, patient, and understanding of his needs. They took the time to make him and us feel comfortable, never rushed, and explained everything. I am so grateful for this office and the team that made my son's dental care possible. I would recommend The Dental Anesthesia Center and Dr Thoms to any parent, especially those with children who have special needs. They truly go above and beyond. ❤️

Response from the owner:Thank you so much for your thoughtful review and kind words! We’re truly grateful for your trust in our team and Dr. Thoms. Knowing your visit was a positive and comfortable experience means the world to us — it’s exactly what we strive for with every patient and family. 💙

Joy H.

Very patient with elderly patients. Very good experience.

Response from the owner:Thank you for sharing your feedback! We’re pleased to know the visit was a positive experience.

Carla B.

My son has been a patient of Dr Michael Hoffman since he was 5 years old. He is now 21 years old. My son has diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and therefore I am cautious of who I select as a treatment provider. Dr. Hoffman’s office is professional, kind and I know they have his best interest at heart. I highly recommend Dr. Hoffman and staff to anyone seeking dental care.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation! We truly appreciate your trust in our team over the years.

Paul

Super experience. Gentle and empathetic. All round care is great. Staff are wonderful.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind review! We’re so glad you had a great experience with our team.

Nancy S.

We are forever grateful for Dr Hoffman and his wonderful staff for having the vision of how to get necessary dental work done for patients who are dealing with autism and cannot tolerate it without dental anesthesia. We have been taking our adult daughter there once a year for the last four years. Thanks to Dr Hoffman’s vast knowledge and expertise, our daughter has been able to get wisdom teeth removed, cavities filled, teeth cleaned and detailed X-rays to know exactly what needed done. The Dental Anesthesia Center is a great service to the community. Thank you so much for helping us.

Response from the owner:hank you so much for your thoughtful review and kind words about our team! We truly appreciate your trust in us and are honored to provide care in a way that helps make dental treatment more comfortable and accessible for all patients. Your feedback means a great deal to our entire staff.

Have Somebody You Trust Take You Home

After dental sedation, you might experience some degree of confusion and disorientation. While this feeling will generally go away quickly, you will want somebody you know and trust to greet you after your appointment to ensure your comfort. For this reason, we recommend having friends or family take you to the dentist and back rather than utilizing rideshare services.

Find Your Activity Sweet Spot

There are two activity-related mistakes you can make after your appointment. The first is being too active. If you try to live your life exactly as you would any other day, you risk falling due to a lack of coordination. The other side of the coin is being too inactive. Moving around and getting your blood pumping will help make the sedative wear off and bring you back to normalcy.

Drink Water

Sedation often involves keeping you without water for the duration of your treatment. This practice results in you being incredibly thirsty when you leave the dentist. Additionally, water helps jumpstart your body and clear your head after your partial loss of unconsciousness. Your best bet after sedation is to drink a moderate amount of water right away, as long as you are not too nauseous.

Eat Manageable Foods

One of the most common symptoms of sedation is having an upset stomach for a short period. To avoid this outcome, you should avoid sweets, spicy foods, and anything that causes digestive problems. Instead, stick to stomach-friendly meals until you’re feeling right again.

Take Your Medicine

Whether or not you’ll have medication to take depends on your sedation strength and the treatment you receive. Light sedatives usually have no associated medicine, but heavy sedation followed by a procedure likely will. Regardless, if your dentist prescribes medication, take is as instructed.

Don’t Be Afraid to Call Your Dentist

Dentists know that sedation can be confusing for patients. As a result, they usually send you home with an informational sheet about best practices. Still, you might run into an issue you cannot figure out or concern you. Don’t hesitate to call your dentist for more information if this situation presents itself.

We hope learning about these techniques helps ease your fears about dental sedation. Generally, it is a safe practice despite a few manageable side effects. If you’re convinced this type of dentistry is right for you, don’t hesitate to schedule an appointment and get the dental care you need.