We understand that many patients delay getting a dental treatment because of fear and anxiety. Some patients may find it difficult to give them some assurance that things will be just fine. For this group of patients, we can ease the stress with our sedation procedures.

If you are thinking of undergoing a sedation procedure, it is important that you take note of the following reminders.

Do Not Eat Before the Surgery

This is the first thing to put on your list. If you forget this piece of advice, we will have to reschedule the procedure. If you are supposed to take any medication, drink a small amount of water necessary to swallow it.

You cannot eat or drink anything eight hours prior to the procedure. Fasting is necessary to reduce the risk of inhaling stomach contents into your lungs. When your body is under anaesthesia, all the functions are relaxed, which means your gag reflex will also be put to rest.

Do Not Smoke or Drink Before the Surgery

Smoking and drinking can negatively affect the procedure, so we recommend that you keep yourself from consuming any alcoholic drink 24 hours prior to the procedure. Likewise, restrain yourself from holding that cigarette at least 12 hours before the surgery.

Bring Someone With You

We highly recommend that you bring someone with you to the clinic. The procedure may render you lightheaded afterwards, and it will be safer if someone is going to help you walk or drive you home.

What to Expect from the Procedure

Managing certain expectations is part of the preparation. After we administer the anaesthesia in a specific area, you will then start to lose feeling there. We will only start the procedure once we are 100% sure you are not feeling anything.

The sedation procedure will calm and relax your entire body. You may even feel sleepy in case the amount of anaesthetic is increased. Your breathing may be affected as your lungs are at rest. But do not worry. Your supply of oxygen will be monitored, and we may even provide you with additional oxygen.

These are only some of the things you need to keep in mind before the procedure. For more information, we encourage you to get in touch with our patient services department.

Are you afraid of the dentist? If so, you are not alone. Fear is the primary reason that adults in the UK give for putting off seeking dental treatment. At our practice we fully understand and empathise with those who are scared of the dentist, but believe that we can help you overcome your fears to get the treatment you need and the smile you deserve.

For nervous and phobic patients, we offer the option of treatment under conscious sedation. Conscious sedation means that you will be awake but largely unaware of treatment. You will still be able to cooperate with your dentist, but will not remember much about treatment when it’s over.

Dr Madruga leads a highly-experienced team in the field of conscious sedation. He welcomes referrals from other dentists who believe that sedation would help their patients. Dr Madruga has helped to establish several conscious sedation referral clinics across the country.

Patients give many reasons for dental anxiety or phobia. You may have had a negative experience in the past, may be afraid of being out of control, or may have a specific trigger such as the sight of a needle, the smell of a dental surgery or the sound of a drill. Conscious sedation can enable you to get the treatment you need without the anxiety, whatever the cause of your fear.

There are many reasons behind fear of the dentist or dental treatment, including a bad experience in the past; fear of the sights, sounds or smells of the surgery; fear of needles; and general fear with a non-specific cause. The good news is that conscious sedation can help with all of these fears, meaning you can get the treatment you need without the stress.

Conscious sedation may be delivered in the form of tablets (oral sedation) or directly into the bloodstream (intravenous or IV sedation). It is a safe, tried and tested method that is delivered by qualified, experienced practitioners.

You will need to bring a friend or family member along to your appointment if you have treatment under conscious sedation so they can drive you home and stay with you for the rest of the day. You must not drive (it is now illegal to drive under the influence of sedative drugs), operate machinery or cook until the next day, and should avoid alcohol for at least 24 hours. We will provide you with full, detailed instructions about what to do and what not to do before and after sedation when you book your appointment – please follow these instructions carefully, and ask us if you have any questions.