FitSugar

Going to the Dentist: What's the Deal With Sedation?

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Sep 2007 13:30:00 PDT

Even if you are one of those people who absolutely dreads going to the dentist, you know it is still really important to go regularly. You need to keep your teeth and gums healthy, so your dentist can prevent small problems from growing into dental disasters.

Now many dentists offer sedation dentistry. To ensure panicked patients make it to the twice yearly visits, many dentists offer sedation dentistry. You can opt for this method if you have sensitive teeth or gums, you don't easily go numb, if you have a lot of dental work that needs to get done, or if you have major dental anxiety or a phobia about going to the dentist. Whatever your reason, there are different degrees of dental sedation that are available.

Here's the run down of sedation methods you can try:

Nitrous Oxide Sedation: Ahh, laughing gas. I used to get this as a kid and it really helps to calm you down. You inhale it and it puts you in a state of complete relaxation, but you are still totally conscious. Since laughing gas doesn't block the pain, your dentist will still need to give you a shot of local anesthesia, aka Novocaine.

Oral Sedatives: Diazepam is one form of medication you can take the night before, or 30-60 minutes before an appointment, depending on the severity of the anxiety. Although you will feel calmer, with this option you will still feel the pain. So with this method you also still need to get a shot of Novocaine to numb you.

There are 2 more methods. To hear what they are

read more Intravenous (IV) Sedation: You basically get anti-anxiety drugs administered into the bloodstream. This also doesn't block the pain, so you'll still need to get a shot of Novocaine. You'll remain conscious and be able to understand and respond to requests from your dentist, but you may not remember much of what happened while you were in the chair. IV sedation makes you feel utterly relaxed and makes you not care about what's going on, and the drugs may also cause full or partial amnesia (only during the period of time when they're in your bloodstream. Time will feel like it passes quickly, almost like you were asleep. General Anesthesia: This is where you are unconscious and completely pain free, so you don't even need the Novocaine. You won't be able to respond to anything, since you are basically out of it, and you'll need help breathing. This method is used if you need oral surgery, like all 4 of your wisdom teeth pulled. Someone will need to drive you to the office, stay with you during the procedure, and then will need to drive you home. Some people have negative reactions to the anesthesia and experience bouts of vomiting. These 4 methods can be used to offer different degrees of sedation, ranging from being awake yet calm, to totally unconscious. You and your doctor can figure out what method may be right for you, depending on your level of comfort and the procedures that need to be done. I think sedation dentistry is a brilliant idea. I don't know anyone who likes going to the dentist, so this can make necessary procedures a lot easier to handle for people who are afraid to have them done. Fit's Tips: Looking for a dentist in your area who offers sedation? Click here to find one near you. Source

Anesthesia: How Does It Work?

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 02:00:00 PDT

I'm going to be honest. When it comes to surgery, the idea of being "put to sleep" for a couple hours freaks me out. I will admit it, I am more afraid of the anesthesia than the scalpel. Are you freaked out a little too? Maybe if we knew more about anesthesia, we'd feel better about it.

When it comes to anesthesia, there are 4 kinds:

Local - this involves numbing a small area by injecting a shot just under the skin. (Lidocaine is a popular local anesthetic used by many dentists).
Regional - A certain area is made numb, but you are still conscious (an epidural is an example).
Sedation - This is also known as "twilight sleep." The person is just drowsy and it makes them more comfortable. Low levels of general anesthesia are used to produce this sensation.
General - You are given liquid or a gas that makes you unaware of what's happening, immobile, pain-free, and free from any memory during the period you were anesthetized (this is the stuff they use when you are having major surgery).

So how does it work? To find out

read more Scientists and doctors don't completely understand exactly how anesthesia works, but they speculate that blocking nerve impulses to your brain is what makes you numb. At a cellular level this occurs by blocking sodium channels in the nerve membranes. When sodium is blocked in this way, the nerve cannot conduct an impulse and therefore no sensation can be transmitted. Where you go numb and for how long depends on where the drug is administered and how much of it. Local and regional anesthesia are pretty safe for the most part, but with general anesthesia, since your entire body is affected, a patient's vital signs are carefully monitored while they're "under." With all types of anesthesia, as long as you're healthy and young, you shouldn't have any complications. Hopefully all that allays your fears a bit. Source

How Does Novocaine Work?

FitSugar — Fri, 11 May 2007 07:30:00 PDT

When I have a cavity filled all I can say is praise to the Novocaine. When my dad was little, his dentist didn't use local anesthetics, and my poor dad had to sit in the chair knowing he was in for a whole lot of pain. My jaw hurts just thinking about it.

I just learned that prior to the invention of Novocaine, cocaine was used as a local anesthetic. Cocaine constricts blood cells, which reduces bleeding, but as we all know it's also highly addictive.

In the early 1900's scientists created a synthetic version of cocaine, but without the nasty side effects, and christened it Procaine. We know it by its trade name Novocaine, and I have no idea why my dad's dentist didn't use it since it was definitely available to the masses when he was a boy. Since its development, stronger local anesthetics have come along like Lidocaine, Septacaine, and Mepivocaine (most dentists still call the shot "Novocaine" though, so ask what they specifically use if you're interested).

These injectable local anesthetics prevent pain in a specific area by blocking the nerves that sense or transmit pain, so the area feels numb for up to 3-4 hours.

All I can say is that even though the shot stinks and can really pinch your gum (and make your mouth really sore for days after), it's still way better than how much it would hurt with NO shot at all.

Fit's Tip: Ask your dentist to apply a topical anesthesia to your gums to numb the area before the Novocaine shot. It makes getting a cavity filled just a little bit easier to bare.

Source

New Fat Bank Allows Patients to Freeze Their Fat For the Future

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 12:28:00 PDT

Orlando cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Hartog is opening the Liquid Gold LipoBank tomorrow, a "fat bank" where patients who have liposuction store removed fat for use at a later date (like when they want to smooth wrinkles or enlarge their breasts).

While freezing fat might seem like a great way to keep a natural filler and plumper on hand, some surgeons are generally leery of the idea. Those against it note that freshly taken fat is more stable and cite concerns about potential mix-ups at the "bank," which could prove deadly. Also, a 2007 survey of surgeons conducted by the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Journal found that "the clinical optimism expressed by the proponents of the procedure has not been corroborated by objective scientific assessments."

Dr. Hartog says that fat freezing eliminates the need for more invasive treatments (and the need to go under anesthesia multiple times) because it allows you to inject more in later. He also explains that the fat is specially treated with protectants to help it last a lifetime at the bank. Still, keeping your liposuctioned fat around just in case you want to fill in your wrinkles in a decade or two is now a possibility. Thanks, science?