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Certain dental procedures require anesthesia to reduce pain and help people relax. However, we’ve come to realize that most of our patients for dental implants in East Nashville aren’t afraid of drills and needles—they dislike the loss of control due to sedation the most.

The risks of losing some of your cognitive abilities seem scary, from saying silly things to unintentionally spelling out all your secrets. That’s why understanding how sedation works can help you relieve those fears that keep you from getting the restorative dentistry you need.

Anesthesia and Brain Chemistry

Intensive dental procedures like wisdom tooth removal or dental implant placement require stronger types of anesthesia. This ensures that you can’t feel any pain, helps your muscles relax, and keeps you completely unconscious throughout the surgery.

Anesthesia achieves that by affecting your central nervous system. How each sedative works specifically, is still a mystery, but in general, these drugs target proteins in the membranes around nerve cells, inhibiting communication between neurons.

That makes patients enter an unconscious state. However, there are some short-term consequences from this inhibition, such as:

• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• General weakness
• Uncoordinated movements
• Blurry vision
• Memory problems

Still, studies have discovered that sedation only affects your short-term memory. For example, you may not remember a sequence of numbers you’ve just heard, but you’ll be able to spill your personal address if asked. So, what can you do to protect all your secrets?

Tips for Controlling What You Say or Do After Oral Surgery

Immediately after dental surgery, you may have little control over your behavior and that’s something challenging for patients with dental anxiety. Medical teams are well-accused with the after effects of sedation for oral surgery, though, and they’re trained to help you.

Nevertheless, there are certain tips you can follow to avoid spilling the beans:

• Ensure you’ll have enough time to recover on the day of the procedure and cancel any important appointments.
• Put your glasses or hearing aids on immediately after to gain a proper understanding of your surroundings.
• Avoid alcohol before and after the procedure, as it can hamper your cognitive abilities.
• Ask a very trusted person to drive you home. Maybe try to avoid going home with someone who might put your post-surgery antics on TikTok or Instagram.
• Wait a few days before signing any contracts.
• And above all, try to keep a calm mindset! Most patients are too tired and sleepy after oral surgery to say anything inappropriate, so don’t worry!

Get Dental Implants in East Nashville

Having surgery done can be scary—especially if it’s somewhere delicate like the mouth. Still, being afraid of the effects of sedation shouldn’t be a reason for delaying your procedure if your health demands it.

Putting off important surgeries can worsen your health conditions, making the recovery even more complex in the long run. If you want to hear more about our surgical procedures and how the Greenwood Local Dentistry team can ensure your comfort, give us a call! We can’t wait to help.