St. Louis Sedation and Sleep Dentistry

While pregnancy can bring many moments of joy, it can also cause a lot of stress, particularly when it comes to the safety of the baby and mother. Pregnancy can also cause the mother to experience certain dental issues such as swollen gums, bleeding, or gum irritation because of the rise in hormone levels. Many experts recommend expecting mothers to take great care of their dental health an get some preventive work when the first signs of trouble appear. But when things go wrong, and the expecting mother requires dental procedures that need sedation , the question begs: is it safe for the baby? Experts Say There Is Generally No Need to Worry According to the American Dental Association , there is generally no need to worry about the local anesthetics used during various procedures like fillings, root canals, or teeth removal. The Journal of the American Dental Association published a study in which they discovered that sedation substances like lidocaine shots used for ...

Though you’ve probably heard of dental sedation , you may not know some specific details surrounding it. One of the most crucial of them is dosage. If your dentist gives you too little or too much medication, you won’t be as satisfied with the service at the end of the appointment. We explain why and provide some tips on avoiding this trap in the sections below. The Dangers of Too Little Sedative There are many excellent reasons to explore dental sedation. Among the most common are anxiety , low pain tolerance, and lengthy procedures. Whatever your issue is, you need an ample amount of medication to receive all of the sedation benefits that you seek. The following are some of the consequences associated with too little sedative. Pain - One of the best reason to use sedation is to lessen pain. Unfortunately, a dose that is too small will not give you this benefit. You’ll instead feel almost as much discomfort as you would without the medication. Fear - Another reason people us...

People that are excited to go to the dentist are like unicorns: some claim that they exist, but no one has seen one in real life. And, understandably so. What can be so exciting about having to sit for hours on end in an uncomfortable position while someone uses scary-looking utensils to fix your teeth? Add fear into the mix or a lightheaded feeling whenever you see a needle, and you can see why so many people postpone going to the dentist as long as possible. That’s where sedation dentistry can be of great help. Whether it's minimal, moderate, deep or general anesthesia , sedation can help you get the treatment you need if you are afraid of the dentist or have to sit for long hours through complex procedures. Talk with your St. Louis sedation dentist to determine which course of treatment best suits your needs. However, here's a good question: does your insurance cover sedation dentistry or do you have to pay out of your pocket? Types of Sedation Dentistry Before...

Sippy cups are a great way of introducing water in your infant's diet, helping them transition smoothly from the baby bottle or exclusive breastfeeding. Many parents are delighted with the convenience of giving liquids in a sippy cup. Not only that children usually accept them quickly, but they also don't spill easily. Not to mention, sippy cups look cute and colorful. But, according to dentists, this type of cups should come with a warning sign. They can cause so much damage to your child's oral health that you should reconsider the way you use it. Sippy Cups and the Extensive Damage They Can Cause Several ways of using the sippy cup can lead to extensive damages, warn St. Louis pediatric dentists . To make matter worse, parents usually combine these methods, unaware of the dangers sippy cups pose to their kids’ oral health. Most of them are surprised when they find out that the benign cup is to blame for cavities or crooked teeth. Here's how you may be damagin...

Thumb sucking is for many children an easy and quick way to comfort themselves when they feel anxious, are bored or tired. It is a habit hard to break. It is so readily available and efficient against various stressful factors that it is difficult to find something else to replace it with and give your kid the same comfort. What parents need to understand about thumb sucking is that it comes from a natural reflex of suckling and it goes away by itself in most cases. The thumb is like a pacifier for infants and toddlers up to 4 years old. They use it whenever they want to be comforted. It is not a big issue, after all, but when it passes a certain age, it starts to become a risk for proper oral development.     What Consequences Can Thumb Sucking Have? You should take your child to a pediatric dentist for a check-up if thumb sucking still happens after the child is five years old. That is when the first permanent teeth start appearing and, from now on, any bad ...

Just about any parent who has multiple children will tell you that each child is different. One example of this is fear of going to the dentist . While one child may have no issues with this task, another could have a great deal of anxiety about it. If the latter describes your children, here are a few suggestions you may try. Buy a Children’s Book As you might imagine, this problem is not new. As a result, people have written hundreds of excellent children’s books on the subject, each of them ending with a scared child conquering their fear. Reading one with your children will allow them to do two things. First, they will see what a dentist office is, which will give them an accurate idea of what to expect. Second, they can relate to the main character of the book and aspire to go on that same journey of being brave and getting through a dental appointment. Walk Them Through the Process Part of the reason why children are so afraid of medical situations is that they do not und...

Aside from football, most youth sports leagues do not require children to wear mouthguards . Unfortunately, almost every activity can turn physical, and kids often get hurt as a result. Fortunately, you can utilize protective equipment to keep your children safe and happy with their choice of sport. Here is how. Why Your Children Need Them Most parents choose to have their children play some type of sport. Depending on which they go with, their children might be at risk of impact to the head. While this outcome should not scare you away from enrolling your kids in activities, you should do everything you can to keep them as safe as possible when at play. One of the best ways to do so is having them wear a mouthguard. The following are a few dangers that this piece of protective equipment can help defend against. Concussions - This ailment is the most common form of traumatic brain injury. It has a variety of adverse outcomes including headaches, nausea, confusion, and much ...

For those who have no trouble going to the dentist, dental sedation might seem silly and unnecessary. For others, who are affected by dental anxiety or low pain tolerance, it might be their only shot at getting the dental care they need. For this reason, St. Louis sedation dentistry is an industry on the rise. Despite its growth in popularity, there is still a lot of misinformation about it. Many people think that it involves going “to sleep”entirely for your procedure, but this is likely not the case. Below, we explain the two types of sedation and the differences between low, medium, and high doses. Oral Vs. IV There are typically two ways patients are sedated for their dental appointments and procedures. The first is a bit “old school,” and is becoming increasingly less frequent. This method is intravenous (IV). IV sedation is given by injecting a sedative into the arm of the patient. Though it is perfectly safe and effective, the way it is administered is not preferred ...

Sedation dentistry is most often recommended for those with dental anxiety , but in reality, it is a tool that can be used by all kinds of people. One situation that it can be utilized is during certain dental procedures. When a treatment is especially long or painful, a patient may decide that they want some level of sedation for it. If that patient suffers from dental anxiety, low pain tolerance, or some other ailment that predisposes them to dental issues, they may want to be sedated for these procedures. Either way, sedation is generally a safe and comfortable strategy that is worth looking into. If you need to undergo one of the treatments on this list, you should consider a St. Louis sedation dentist . Implants When you lose teeth, whether that is by infection, decay, or injury, you likely do not want to walk around with missing teeth for the rest of your life. The best way to fix this is by getting dental implants. Unfortunately, the installation process can be very painfu...

Dentistry has changed significantly over the past decade. Just as the medical community has realized that there is no reason for a patient to suffer needlessly, the dentistry field has hopped on the same bandwagon. Many adults who have been avoiding the dentist due to traumatic experiences earlier in life can breathe easy and visit the dentist once again. There are several ways that you can sit comfortably and anxiety-free in the dentist’s chair without feeling the pain of the past. There are many sedation methods that are available for someone who is either looking at extensive and painful dental procedures, or a patient who is nervous about getting a cleaning. Sedation dentistry may sound a little intimidating to the average layperson, but there is nothing “intimidating” about it. Many sedation practices are not only safe; they are totally warranted and accepted. Although sedation gets a bad reputation for being dangerous and coming with all sorts of side effects, there ...

A dental crown strengthens the tooth and enhances its performance. Nowadays, a wide variety of dental crowns are available . They cover the visible parts of the tooth and perform many different functions. In this post, our St. Louis sedation dentist will share some facts about dental crowns. A Dental Crown A dental crown is a tiny structure which is placed on top of a damaged tooth. It is used to restore the lost tooth structure. It helps to get back the full form of the tooth and enables it to perform its functions. It is also known as a 'cap'. A crown gives strength to the tooth. It is used when there are cracks and large broken-down fillings or when root canal has been performed. Types Of Dental Crowns Dental crowns are made from different materials. They have different forms and functions. The most common type of crown is the PFM or porcelain fused to high-noble metal. A gold crown is a full cast high noble metal crown. A stainless steel cro...

Most of us have experienced a toothache at some point. It can range from being a source of minor discomfort to extreme pain. A toothache is the most common dental ailment, and the top reason why people visit the dentist’s office. The causes of a toothache can be many, and sometimes it may not be easy to identify the real cause. While most people assume that a cavity is the main culprit, in reality, there could be many reasons behind a toothache, and many of these are treatable. In this post, our St. Louis sedation dentist will discuss the top reasons for a toothache. Erupting wisdom tooth When wisdom teeth start crowning or even if they have already crowned, they can create teeth misalignment and push against other teeth. This can put pressure on the gums and jaws. In many cases, orthodontic treatment or wisdom tooth removal is required. Sinus infection A sinus infection or nasal congestion related tenderness in upper jaw can cause teeth pain. Sensitive Teeth ...