I’ve had five procedures which required dental sedation. Until this last one, everything went smoothly. I have switched dentists mostly because of a move to another city. But, this time was different. The procedure itself went similar to the others, but after I got home my heart started racing and I had trouble breathing. I was on my way to call an ambulance when the nausea kicked in so I just lay where I was on the floor until it passed. That’s never happened to me before. Do you know what could have happened?
Milus R.
Dear Milus,
The Importance of an Attentive Caregiver With Dental Sedation
We all know a good dentist is important. But, the fact that your dentist let you leave after a dental sedation procedure alone, is very concerning. Those types of details need to be attended to. A patient doesn’t always understand the post-operative care procedure and it needs to be overseen by the dentist.
When you have dental sedation, you not only need someone to drive you to and from your appointment, but to stay with you for a while after the appointment as well. I hope you didn’t have to drive yourself home. One of the reasons for a caregiver is you’ll be unsteady on your feet so it’s helpful to have someone who can get things for you and help you to the restroom. Another reason is because of what happened to you. What if your heart rate rose so high you ended up having a heart attack. As it was, you couldn’t make it to the phone. Imagine if your breathing and heart rate didn’t calm down. You could have died.
What Went Wrong With Your Dental Sedation?
I wasn’t there so anything I say in this case is a suggestion. Two possibilities come to mind. The first is your new dentist uses a different type of sedation medication than your old dentist and your body reacts to it poorly. There’s an easy way to find out. Call the office, let them know what happened and ask them to call your old dentist. If it’s a different mixture of sedation, they can be sure to use the other kind with you.
Another possibility is if you’ve had any medication changes or are taking anything new that’s over the counter. These things can affect the way the sedation works. Be sure you’ve told your new dentist about any medications, including over the counter meds, that you’re taking. He’ll be familiar (or at least should be) with any interactions.
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