I’m not comfortable going to the dentist. I have to go in tomorrow and I’m almost sick thinking about it. I got to thinking, if I could just have a few glasses of wine ahead of time. I just wondered if that was safe though? Will alcohol interfere with any shots the dentist has to do?
Danielle K. – Vermont
Danielle,
You aren’t alone in your anxiety with dental appointments, I assure you. There is a great solution, but I wouldn’t recommend drinking wine before your appointment unless you’re sure your dentist won’t need to use any kind of medication. There are contraindications with alcohol and medications.
Don’t despair though, there is something that will help you more than a few glasses of wine. I would speak with your dentist, ahead of time, about sedation dentistry. This can give you a pain free appoinment without anything interfering with your treatment.
There are several levels of sedation available to you, depending on how much you think you’ll need to care for your anxiety. A light type of sedation is nitrous oxide. It takes the edge off of everything. You’ll find it makes a local anesthetic much more affective.
If you need something stronger, you can have oral concious sedation. This is strong enough where you’re likely to not even remember your appointment.
This blog is brought to you by Buffalo Dentist Dr. Warren Krutchick.