My sister asked me to go with her to the sedation dentist. She is going to get a root canal that she has been putting off for a long time. I convinced her to go to a sedation dentist because the toothache is making her nauseous. She is really nervous about dental appointments, too. I wasn’t expecting her to ask me to be the one to take her to the appointment. I get nervous about anything that has to do with medical or dental procedures. Of course I feel obligated to help her now. Last week, she had an appointment with her dentist to go over the procedure, but I didn’t go with her. I haven’t asked her any questions because I don’t want to give away my own nervousness. Exactly how do I need to help her? What happens if things at the dentist don’t go as planned? Thank you! Elise

Elise,

It’s good that you encouraged your sister to visit a sedation dentist. An infected tooth will only get worse without a root canal treatment. If it progressively travels throughout the body, the infection can become very dangerous for the patient.

You won’t be with your sister in the treatment room during the root canal procedure. You’ll be waiting in the reception area. A dental hygienist or assistant will give you verbal and written instructions for aftercare. Your sister probably already has those instructions, so without giving away your nervousness, you might be able to ask her to e-mail them to you.

Sedation Dentistry Aftercare

Your sister will be drowsy after her procedure, so you’ll be there to drive her home. She will need to rest, so after she’s home, you can check in on her periodically. There are a few things that can be done in advance:

• Talk to your sister and help her decide if she will rest in bed or on a couch after her dental procedure.
• Prepare the area so that when she gets home, she can rest right away.
• Ensure she has on hand soft foods, cold packs, and whatever the dentist recommends to have at home after the procedure.
• Prescriptions might be written in advance, and those can be filled and picked up before her dental appointment.

It’s very unlikely that there will be a medical issue during the procedure. The dentist and his or her staff will monitor your sister’s vital signs while she is under sedation dentistry. After you take your sister home, the dentist’s office will be available to answer any of your questions. In the unlikely event of a serious emergency, call 911. Keep in mind that it’s unlikely that there will be an emergency.

This post is sponsored by Plano, TX female dentist Dr. Miranda Lacy. Dr. Lacy’s office is convenient to Addison, Allen, Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Frisco, Garland, Highland Park, and Little Elm.