My new dentist, who is also my orthodontist, is big on nitrous and doesn’t charge for it. When I was making my first non-orthodontist appointment the receptionist was really pimping the nitrous thing, telling me how it’s rare that a dentist offers nitrous at all, let alone free nitrous.
Nitrous doesn’t work for me, fwiw. But it might be because I am pretty mellow at the dentist’s to begin with, so it’s hard to tell if I get more mellow or not.
I recently had a tooth extracted and then went back to have an implant installed. In both cases the dentist used a little nitrous and then the local. No big deal.
I think you should do whatever is legal and safe, if it makes it tolerable for you to get your dental care as needed. Heck, personally, I wouldn’t even care if it was legal. I’m one of those people who can take all kinds of abuse at the dentist without a care in the world, but I don’t expect others to be like me. Even my dentist thinks it’s odd. He used to occasionally stop his work to ask me if I was OK, because he was certain I had to be in agony. He quit checking on me after the time I fell asleep in the chair while he was working on one of my wisdom teeth. (What can I say; it was my first time in one of those new-fangled comfy dentist chairs that leans back like the ultimate recliner…ahhh, snooze-city!)
But my mom hated going to the dentist and thought it was too painful. I remember her locking herself in the bathroom once when I was a kid. A sister was complaining that she didn’t want to go to the dentist and Mom told her she needed her checkup. Dad told Mom he was glad she felt that way, as he’d included her in the appointments. Mom locked herself in the bathroom. Dad was knocking on the door, telling her she wasn’t setting a good example for the kids (who were all standing around, laughing with absolute delight). Mom said she didn’t care about setting an example, she wasn’t going. (Actually, she pulled herself together and went with us.)
So, if you like something to soothe your nervousness, or if you want to be so unconscious that you barely know you’ve been to the dentist, it’s all fine. They don’t give merit badges for bravely facing the dentist in the face of great danger. Like others have said, just make sure the prescriber is aware of all the medications you’re taking, to minimize risk of dangerous interactions.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong in wanting to be a little blitzed during an unpleasant medical procedure.
I used the nitrous gas when I got a crown last year. Then I let them talk me out of it for a root canal, and rather regretted it.
It never occurred to me to ask for some Valium. That would be much cheaper than the gas, but I’m not sure it would work as well. I have an appointment today to see about a sore tooth (the same one that I had a root canal for last year :rolleyes: ) and I think I’ll ask about it.
No teeth suck better! 
Btw, my grin is nowhere near as toothy as that one.
I have to have nitrous, even for a routine cleaning. It’s about a hundred bucks more and not covered by insurance. I’m currently looking for a new dentist because the old one was way more concerned with money than treating patients decently. I was not aware that there were dentists who did not even have nitro. I’m getting nervous!
Around here it’s getting harder to find a doc who carries the nitrous, some pish-posh about it being bad for the reproductive systems of female dental assistants and hygienists who have low-level exposure to it all day long.
My previous dentist was still totally into it though: he had grateful dead posters tacked to the ceiling above the chairs, and when dealing with a young person he thought might be savvy of the party circuit would ask “would you like some more… nitrousssssssssss?”
I never take any novalcain unless the dentist is going to drill near a nerve, like a root canal or extraction. For cavities, the xray can show if it will be near a nerve or not. Cleaning is never painful. Only nerve exposure is painful as far as I am concerned.
The only time I’ve had anything more than a local was when I had all four wisdom teeth pulled at once.
Who has Valium sitting around the house all the time? Is that common?
My grandfather regretted this for the rest of his life. I think he had the option of implants or extractions and dentures, and he was a cheapskate. Hated the dentures. Lived to be 92 with them.
i can’t have anything done to my teeth without sedation. i’m also one of those people who cannot get nerves blocked adequately. don’t feel bad for taking the valium–just make sure you have someone drive you home later!
I hope you tell the dentist that you took the Valum so he doesn’t overmedicate you.
I had two wisdom teeth pulled under local only. It was a bigger deal than I thought - the dentist practically had his knee on my chest pulling out the lower one - but you can’t feel anything with the Novocain. It was quite unpleasant later on, but that would not AFAIK be any different with general or nitrous.
I was kind of surprised when the dentist offered Novocain when I had the first filling of my life about two years ago. Insurance covered it, but I didn’t see the need. And I am not that tolerant of pain - the rescue squad gave me nitrous oxide when my back went into spasm and I couldn’t get off the floor.
And both my kids have had a lot of teeth pulled, and always had nitrous oxide. Not for cavities, though.
Regards,
Shodan
Several of the Ramones?
I loves me some nitrous. I freak about the needle part; I don’t enjoy the rest, but once the needles are over with, I’m okay. Nitrous makes me not care at all about the needles, which is damn near miraculous.
My new dentist said he’d be happy to give me Valium if I wanted it, since I’ve got a couple of fillings that will need attention soon, and one tooth that bears watching and will need either a root canal or to be yanked sometime in the future, and unless I win the lottery it’s bye-bye tooth (thank heavens, it’s a far-back molar).
I was under the impression that these days they would far rather provide sedation and whatnot if that will bring you in, rather than have you so scared of the procedures that you stay away until you are in agony and there’s much less they can do for you.
My dentist actually specializes in dentistry (with various levels of sedation) for people who can’t simply remain still in the chair on instruction: small children, people with Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Autism, mental/developmental delays, etc.
As a small child I had dental work (for which I wasn’t numb) with all four limbs strapped down and my head in a vise. It’s not really something you want your child to have for one of her earliest memories-- trust me.
I’ll sedate my kids at the dentist if it will help them not develop a phobia like mine.
I go to the Dental Fears Research Clinic at the University of Washington. I was pre-medicated for my first few visits, and for any especially long or distressing procedures, like having a tooth pulled.
I still use Nitrous Oxide for even simple procedures, like cleaning.
There are times that Dr. Weinstein still comes to my appt to help me focus.
Deadly serious.
This is General Questions and the OP asked about sedation for dental work. While he may of been focused on pre-op general medication I chose to stress the strength of locals and post-op sedation.
(At two meters and two hundred stones, I tend to take a Mary Baker Eddy, nee Nietzsche, health care approach.)
Back to the OP.
The question, while seeking a factual answer, is more suited for IMHO.
Unless someone has done extensive polling the question is a matter of personal experience.
While we’re on the subject…don’t try South American imports to lessen the pain.
Yes, the gums are numb, but beyond that…“There is the sudden realization of the needle.”
I grew up with parents that thought that “water cooled drills” were the greatest invention and that Novocain was simply overkill for little things like fillings (or root canals). Once I had my own cash, it has been nitrous oxide, baby. No looking back.
Will Repair, I don’t know exactly what she was specifically referring to, but mixing alcohol and Tylenol does a number on your liver. If that’s how you chose to treat postop pain, then you should probably choose something besides codeine.
Bolding mine. Did you mean 200 pounds?
I only meant to refer to the Tylenol 3 and Jack Daniels every 15 minutes part of your post. Acetaminophen and alcohol together increases the risk of liver damage, particularly in high doses and in chronic alcohol use. I certainly can’t say what your particular risk is, but acetaminophen overdose is a real risk for many people.