ROOT CANAL THURSDAY. Need advice about sedatives.

[stinkycheesewoman]

So yes, I have a root canal on Thursday. I have an abscessed tooth, but it's a dead tooth now, which I guess is why I haven't felt a thing. (My dentist happened to find it when he was preparing the tooth for a crown.)

Anyway, I had a root canal five years ago, but the tooth wasn't abscessed, just dead. Also, they gave me nitrous oxide because I was still under the care of my pediatric dentist, and so I ALWAYS had it. But since switching to my grown up dentist, I haven't. However, despite having one hundred thousand cavities in practically every tooth since I was five years old, my anxiety has never waned. In fact, now that I've been winging it without the nitrous, it's gotten worse. But I've had about six caps put on my teeth in the past two years, and have been able to keep calm throughout every appointment. Externally, that is.

I have a huge fear of puking and at the dentist, that fear intensifies for obvious reasons. And guess what? It happened once, during one of my last appointments with my pediatric dentist, which was also one of the last times I used nitrous oxide. So now I'm scared that the nitrous upset my stomach, because my body can't tolerate it anymore or something. (I was about twenty at the time, and am twenty-four now.)

But I HAVE to be sedated. No question. I'm scared to death just sitting here in my room thinking about the root canal, so I know I'll be absolutely panic stricken during the procedure. So I'm wondering...for those of you who are sedated at the dentist, what kind of sedative do you use? Because I'm thinking of asking for nitrous oxide again, but am so scared it will make me vomit. And I know they'll have that awful rubber dam in my mouth. ! I don't want to vomit, choke on my vomit, and die.

My friends were telling me to request valium instead, but...would that be good enough? (I've never tried it before.) Because I can already tell that my anxiety will be VERY high. I want to be completely out of it, so out of it, that if my hand caught on fire, I wouldn't care. Seriously.

Any advice or info or calming words? I'm a basket case.

 

[RP]

So yes, I have a root canal on Thursday. I have an abscessed tooth, but it's a dead tooth now, which I guess is why I haven't felt a thing. (My dentist happened to find it when he was preparing the tooth for a crown.)

Anyway, I had a root canal five years ago, but the tooth wasn't abscessed, just dead. Also, they gave me nitrous oxide because I was still under the care of my pediatric dentist, and so I ALWAYS had it. But since switching to my grown up dentist, I haven't. However, despite having one hundred thousand cavities in practically every tooth since I was five years old, my anxiety has never waned. In fact, now that I've been winging it without the nitrous, it's gotten worse. But I've had about six caps put on my teeth in the past two years, and have been able to keep calm throughout every appointment. Externally, that is.

I have a huge fear of puking and at the dentist, that fear intensifies for obvious reasons. And guess what? It happened once, during one of my last appointments with my pediatric dentist, which was also one of the last times I used nitrous oxide. So now I'm scared that the nitrous upset my stomach, because my body can't tolerate it anymore or something. (I was about twenty at the time, and am twenty-four now.)

But I HAVE to be sedated. No question. I'm scared to death just sitting here in my room thinking about the root canal, so I know I'll be absolutely panic stricken during the procedure. So I'm wondering...for those of you who are sedated at the dentist, what kind of sedative do you use? Because I'm thinking of asking for nitrous oxide again, but am so scared it will make me vomit. And I know they'll have that awful rubber dam in my mouth. ! I don't want to vomit, choke on my vomit, and die.

My friends were telling me to request valium instead, but...would that be good enough? (I've never tried it before.) Because I can already tell that my anxiety will be VERY high. I want to be completely out of it, so out of it, that if my hand caught on fire, I wouldn't care. Seriously.

Any advice or info or calming words? I'm a basket case.

My dentist usually gives me Halcion which works well, I've had it in combination with nitrous and hypnosis, both work well but I prefer the hypnosis. I had Valium from the endo with both IV sedation and nitrous, didn't think much of it, it made me mean after and stays in your system forever. Three days later I finally felt normal. I snooze with the Halcion, the Valium made me giddy but I was still anxious. It may be user dependent, that's just how it affected me. Send a pm to Stresss Doc, he is our resident expert on sedatives and my hypnotist. BTW I've had nitrous for over 30 years and never once have thrown up, sounds like you had a bit too much, a combo may work better.

rp

 

[morethanlights]

I had IV sedation for a lot of extractions and it was great. I didn't remember a thing and I didn't gag or vomit at all. And I gag very very very easily even with routine cleanings and exams. I also have a phobia about gagging and vomiting.

I had nitrous for several root canals in the past and it wasn't bad at all. I actually much preferred the rubber dam, since it isolated the problem tooth, meaning they didn't have to stick all the terrible things in my mouth making me gag. I had those root canals done when I was 19 years old.

Last year I had four sessions of root planing done under nitrous and it was no problem either. I was 22. I can't imagine nitrous not working on me after a couple years so I think you'll be fine. You probably just worked yourself up and made yourself sick!

 

[drummerswife]

I agree with RP. Give a holler out to Stress Doc, he's awsome!
And I just love your screen name thats a hoot! How did you chose that?

As for sedatives, my dentist gives me Valium when I need something which, as RP pointed out, doesnt work for everynody but I have done quite well with it. The only other sedation I have had is Versed and Fantanyl for IV seadtion. These are fabulous drugs. Hits in you in about 30-45 seconds and your in la la land.

Let us know how it goes
Blessings

 

[Gordon]

Nitrous will make you sick if it's turned up far too high, sounds like your paediatric dentist got a wee bit heavy handed.