Today, our Courtenay dentists will share some basic tips on how individuals can prepare for a safe dental sedation appointment. Please understand these are just general tips, and your dentist may have specific instructions for you that are not present in this article, based on your specific needs.
These instructions apply to patients scheduled to receive general anesthesia or intravenous (IV) sedation.
Your dentist might provide you with specific instructions for your unique situation. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about your upcoming dental sedation appointment.
Instructions for Dental Patients
Please read these instructions carefully, they are for your own safety. You may find it helpful to print these instructions and keep them handy as a reference in the days leading up to your dental sedation appointment.
Restricting Food & Drink
Do not to eat or drink after midnight the night before your appointment. This even includes water!
For those patients who need to take medications, please take them as usual, with a small sip of water to wash them down.
If you do not follow these instructions exactly, we will need to reschedule your dental sedation appointment. Your safety comes first and it compromises safety to perform sedation on a patient who has not restricted their food and drink intake appropriately.
On The Day Of Your Appointment
It is absolutely necessary that you have a responsible adult bring you to your appointment, and drive you home afterwards. Operating a vehicle following dental sedation is not safe, and so we cannot sedate a patient with no means of leaving our office safely.
If you wear contact lenses, be sure to remove them before you come to the dental office. attempting to remove them while under sedation can lead to accidents or other serious complications.
We also recommend that any dentures, including a partial plate or removable bridgework, be removed before you leave home for your appointment. If it's not practical to leave your dentures at home, please be sure to bring along a container to store them in during your dental sedation appointment. It simply makes for an easier and safer procedure when your dentures are already stored in a safe place beforehand.
Additional Notes
Should you happen to develop a cold before your surgery, please notify our office as soon as possible.
If you absolutely must cancel your appointment, it is very important that you contact our staff as soon as you can. Surgery appointments with general anesthesia or sedation are often scheduled very closely together.
If you delay in letting us know that you need to cancel we lose two appointments: yours, and the one we might have booked in your place.