Does your sensitive gag reflux keep you from attending your biannual dental checkups? If this is an issue for you, ask Fresno, CA dentist Dr. Claudia Denes about oral sedation. Our dental studio offers multiple kinds of sedative medication to ease the nerves of anxious patients and provide comfort for those with a sensitive gag reflux. Patients who can’t visit the dentist on a regular basis develop dental issues, such as periodontal disease and cavities.
Oral Sedation Options
For our patients who have extremely delicate gag refluxes, Dr. Denes recommends the use of oral sedation. At Fresno Dental Studio, we offer three kinds of medications to help sensitive patients.
Valium is effective for an hour after ingestion and causes feelings of drowsiness and amnesia. Restoril, which is similar to Valium, begins to produce drowsiness roughly 30 minutes after it’s taken. This medication remains in the bloodstream for a shorter duration of time, yet it is effective for patients with gag reflux issues. Ativan is the strongest oral sedative of the three offered at Fresno Dental Studio. An hour after taking Ativan, patients often experience drowsiness and memory loss, which is ideal for patients who suffer from dental fear or anxiety.
Possible Dental Diseases
Periodontal Disease
Oral issues develop when biannual dental checkups and cleanings are missed. Periodontal disease affects one in every two Americans and is the leading cause of adult tooth loss. The beginning stage of periodontal (gum) disease is gingivitis, which often produces red, swollen, tender gums. It’s very common for patients with gingivitis to experience frequent bleeding when they brush or floss their teeth. Periodontitis is the advanced stage of gum disease. During this stage, patients notice gum recession and tooth loss.
Gum disease is embarrassing for many patients because a common symptom is chronic bad breath. Regardless of how hard you may try, halitosis doesn’t seem to go away when you suffer from periodontal disease.
Periodontal disease is caused by poor oral hygiene. Bacteria and plaque accumulate around teeth and ruin oral health. Although periodontal disease isn’t curable, Dr. Denes manages symptoms through root planing and scaling.
Scaling removes built up bacteria and plaque to create a healthier mouth. Dr. Denes uses root planing to smooth tooth roots, which aids in proper gum reattachment.
Tooth Decay
Another common oral disease is tooth decay (cavities). Bacteria mix with an acid that is produced by sugary foods and drinks to erode tooth enamel. When this happens, a small hole (cavity) is formed in the strong enamel. Dr. Denes removes decay from the damaged tooth and fills the hole with composite resin material.
Some patients have extensive tooth decay that requires a tooth extraction. Dr. Denes attempts to save damaged teeth through root canal therapy. During this procedure, she creates a small hole in the affected tooth. She removes the decayed dental pulp from its chamber and cleans the inside of the tooth. To finalize this procedure, Dr. Denes caps the restored tooth with a porcelain crown to protect it from future damage and decay.