Sedation and nervous patients in Belfast

What it involves

Dental sedation helps anxious patients accept treatment. A leaflet from Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust describes inhalation sedation as breathing a mixture of nitrous oxide gas and oxygen through a small nose piece, with the patient always staying awake and able to talk. It describes intravenous sedation as an injection into a vein in the back of the hand or arm. The patient stays awake but may not remember the treatment, and the trust states that conscious sedation is not a general anaesthetic.

The leaflets come from a trust in England, not Northern Ireland, and we found no Northern Ireland page on dental sedation. Practices here may work differently, so rely on your own practice’s written instructions.

Who it may suit

Sedation is an option for patients who feel anxious about dental treatment. The NHS also lists sedation as an option for wisdom tooth removal, alongside a local anaesthetic. Practical rules differ by type. For intravenous sedation, the trust states that a responsible adult escort must stay and take the patient home, and that the patient needs care afterwards. For treatments where sedation is often discussed, see extractions and wisdom teeth.

Questions to ask a practice

• Which sedation types does the practice offer, and which would be advised for me?
• Who gives the sedation, and what monitoring is used?
• Do I need an escort, and what are the rules on food, drink and driving?
• Is sedation part of Health Service care or a private extra, and what is the exact cost?
• What happens if I cannot follow the instructions on the day?