Strong gag reflex and need back tooth out

[Helenina]

Hi, I was told I needed a filling in one of my back teeth in October 2022. The dentist tried to give me the local anaesthetic injection so she could fill the tooth but I was worried my gag reflex would be triggered and kept inadvertently pushing the needle out of my mouth with my tongue.
She referred me to a dentist for nervous patients. There they found my blood oxygen levels fluctuate, seemingly for no reason (although I am about to see a cardiologist to investigate this) so I’m not eligible for either sedation or general anaesthetic. They tried to give me gas and air but the mask clipped on my nose made me feel like I was suffocating. In the meantime I developed an abscess underneath the tooth and it now needs to be extracted. I think that gas and air or hypnosis are the only options for me, or maybe some doctor-prescribed drug to calm me. Does anyone have any ideas please? I’m desperate as soon the tooth is likely to become infected.

 

[Gordon]

Treatment under sedation in an anaesthetist led clinic would be best, unless you can manage with the gas and air again?
Prescribing oral sedation would be hard to justify if your O2 levels are that bad...

 

[Helenina]

Thank you. How would I find such a clinic please? I have been frantically searching for a suitable clinic but so far no luck.

 

[Gordon]

The dentist for nervous patients should be able to refer you to a suitable clinic

 

[Helenina]

Thanks Gordon