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.

Call (314) 862-7844

Schedule Appointment

Excellent

The Dental Anesthesia Center: Sedation and Sleep Dentistry4.9

Based on 132 reviews

See all reviews

review us on

Deborah L.

The practice is top notch. Could not ask for better care.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words! We’re grateful for your feedback and are proud to provide high-quality care in a supportive environment.

Chris C.

Great practice and nice people. I've been going there for 25+ years!!!

Response from the owner:Thank you for the kind review ! We appreciate that beyond words! It has been our pleasure having you as our patient! We look forward to seeing you at your next dental visit!

Melinda B.

Dr. Hoffman and staff were patient and kind. They listened to health history that led to needing their services. They made the care plan individualized to specific needs. Appreciate all the team members!

Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re glad to hear that our team took the time to listen and provide compassionate, individualized care. We truly appreciate your kind words and your trust in our team.

Sheila I.

What a wonderful, knowledgeable, caring staff. Excellent care given to our 26 year old special needs son. They made everything so easy and kept me updated through the whole visit. Would highly recommend.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your kind words and recommendation! Our team works hard to provide compassionate, high-quality care and to keep families informed every step of the way. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience.

Kisha D.

Dr.Hoffmann thank you so much for making everything smooth and easy your staff was awesome for it to be so early in the morning all smiles and nice facility. They make you feel comfortable and explain everything to you as they go. I will refer you to my family and friends thank you again.

Response from the owner:Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so glad to hear you had a positive experience with our team and that everything felt smooth and comfortable for you. We truly appreciate your kind words and your willingness to recommend our office to family and friends! 😊

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.