Dental Sedation in Whitby

You deserve a beautiful & healthy smile.

Dundas Street Dental Centre does its best to ensure Whitby patients feel safe and comfortable. But still, anxiety about being in the dentist’s chair is common and normal. That’s why we offer various levels of sedation to address your fears, so you can receive the best dental care possible.

From IV, oral sedation to nitrous oxide, have peace of mind knowing we’ve got you covered. Tooth extractions, cavity fillings and dental implants are just some of the procedures that can involve sedation. Mainly used to calm the patient’s nerves and lower anxiety levels, sedation ensures our dentists can perform the work smoothly and effectively.

What is Sedation Dentistry?

Each year, millions of Canadians avoid the dentist due to dental fear. In doing so, they end up sacrificing their oral health. Small issues that may have been easily treatable eventually turn into serious conditions that become difficult to contain.

Sedation involves using medication to alleviate anxiety or render a patient unconscious for a period of time. When used correctly, sedation dentistry can be helpful in alleviating a patient’s concerns. It is also helpful in calming young children, so they can receive the care they need.

What Types of Sedation are Available?

At Dundas Street Dental Centre, we offer three types of sedation depending on the situation. Consideration factors include patient’s age, level of anxiety, and complexity of the dental procedure. Each type of sedation achieves a different level of sedation, and on occasion they may be combined to achieve a deeper level. Here’s what you need to know about each type:

Oral Sedation
- Administered through the nose or mouth
- Takes roughly about 30 minutes to notice effects - patient dependent (the time is variable and so is the kind of effect- often our patients fall sleep and wake up having little or no memory of the procedure)
- Does not put a patient to sleep, but keeps them relaxed and calm
Nitrous Oxide
- More commonly known as ‘laughing gas’
- Administered through a mask, helping the patient feel calm
- Sedative contains nitrous oxide and oxygen
- Pure oxygen is administered after the dental procedure to clear out remaining nitrous oxide
Intravenous (IV) Sedation
- Administered through a needle in the vein, usually on the back of the hand
- Puts patient into a deep sleep
- Tube is inserted into the patient’s mouth to assist with breathing

Is Sedation Safe?

Sedation is very safe when practiced in a controlled environment -- with close monitoring by dental professionals. At Dundas Street Dental Centre, our team is well-trained to handle emergency situations. We have strict protocols in place should a patient fall into a deeper state of sedation than was intended.

Sedatives are also safe for patients who:

Have a low tolerance for pain
Suffer from sensitive teeth
Have a bad gag reflex
Require an extensive amount of dental work in one sitting

Beforehand, we’ll assess your medical history to decide whether you’re a good candidate for sedation. Our Whitby dental team will also determine which type of sedative is appropriate for your age and health.

Whitby Patients at Dundas Street Dental Centre can feel confident knowing our dental professionals are highly-qualified to administer anesthesia. If you can’t still in the dentist’s chair or the sound of drilling makes you nervous, sedation can help you overcome those fears.