Wisdom Tooth Extraction - Sedation

Please excuse me going slightly off topic for this blog post, but earlier in the week I had one of my wisdom teeth extracted. When my dentist advised me, for the third or fourth time, that extraction really was the most sensible option for me, I was visibly unsettled. After fiddling around in my mouth some more, he turned to me and said "would you like to be sedated for it?". My weak, mumbled reply was "yes please".

I wouldn't say I have a fear of the dentist. In fact, I've come to realise I actually quite like mine. I don't particularly like going, and especially don't like having to have {necessary} work done, but I kind of accept it as just another one of those things we have to grin and bear. I do however, get very nervous at the thought of injections in my mouth, and really did not relish the thought of being able to see and hear the tugging and pulling that would be inevitable during an extraction. My dentist referred me to a local dental clinic who specialise in 'conscious sedation'. {For more information on conscious sedation please visit the clinics website}

After having to reschedule my appointment a few times {the day before THE wedding of the year, I don't think so somehow!}, the 1st of February was quickly upon me. I'm aware I'm telling this story in a rather dramatic way, in a bid to avoid the inevitable, so I'll cut the crap and get straight to it. Conscious sedation basically means you are awake, but can not see or feel any of the treatment happening, and enter a sleep like state. When researching the method, the bit that freaked me out was that during the operation you may be able to hear, and respond to, verbal comments. However, most patients experience amnesia and are unable to remember anything from the procedure.

After getting checked in and having an x-ray, I had a little blip when the surgeon advised me I was very high risk of permanent nerve damage in my lip and chin, due to both the diagonal angle my tooth had grown at, and the fact it was sitting directly on a prominent nerve. The overriding advice was still to remove the tooth, and probably wasn't as dramatic as it sounded to me in my nervous state, and so I opted to continue.

Putting my initial anxieties aside, and now speaking from experience, I would wholeheartedly recommend this method of tooth extraction, if you are in any way nervous about what to expect. I genuinely do not remember a single thing, aside from speaking to the anaesthetist and surgeon beforehand, getting the sedative put in my hand and being told I'd start to feel light headed. According to Colin {you must be supervised by a responsible adult, both to and from your appointment, and for at least 24 hours after}, I was in and out within 10 minutes. The worst part, and I won't sugar coat it, was coming round from the sedative, which was horrible. I woke up on a bed in the recovery room, with some kindly nurses and Colin looking down at me, highly confused as to where I was and what time it was?! I started crying and felt very sick, and was generally very frightened. I was very unsteady in my feet, but in hindsight the effects did wear off pretty fast. Once I was home {a very confusing, surreal journey}, Colin explained I had been hallucinating, which whilst expected and completely normal after sedation, was obviously terrifying for me at the time! The numbness and hallucinations wore off within 2 hours of my procedure, and I was eating {soup}, drinking and manically applying lip balm after 3. I had some pretty weird dreams over the next 48 hours, but nothing life changing or unmanageable. The pain is obviously to be expected, but with strong painkillers, again, is nothing unmanageable. There are obviously a few rules to stick to, such as not driving, working or signing any legal documents for 24 hours, not cleaning your teeth for 48 hours, and putting your feet up whilst your 'supervisor' does everything for you ;)

I thought it might be helpful to share my experience, for anyone that like me, has some anxieties towards dental treatment, and wanted to read a first hand account of conscious sedation. Now...let's get back to the more light hearted posts! Next up, nail varnish!