WATCH: Scared to go the dentist? You don’t need to be

• Half of all adults are anxious about going to the dentist
• Anxiety leads to delay or avoidance of important dental treatment

Kelowna couple Dar Cargyle-Silversides and Bob Silversides needed important and long-overdue dental work but, like many others in their position, had been holding off on getting treatment. The main reason: anxiety about lying in a dentist chair for hours and the pain and or/discomfort that may bring.

At least half the adult population suffers from some form of dental anxiety, and for many, that means keeping them away from the dentist or causing delays in necessary treatment.

“The sedation is what got me to come here,” Dar told Kelowna10 at the offices of Kelowna Dental Care. “I did my research, read reviews, and chose Dr. Mike Webster.”

Giving patients a sedative, either by intravenous drip, a pill, or laughing gas, is described as a ‘massive game-changer’ in modern dentisty.

Dar’s treatment involved the removal and reconstruction of all of her teeth and the replacement of hardware from a procedure earlier in her life.

Dar opted for Intravenous (IV) sedation, also known as sleep dentistry. Anti-anxiety medication is safely and efficiently channeled into a patient’s vein and the amount is monitored and adjusted based on the need. It’s offered to those with extreme dental anxiety, special healthcare needs, or those set to undergo oral surgery or extended treatment.

“I needed help… big help. And it wasn’t just the IV sedation, but taking a [sedation] pill, even before I got here is what sold me. I came in, the problem was fixed, and I was outta here,” Dar explained, adding she had held back on visiting a dentist for over two years, in part because of COVID but also because of the fear of having all the major work done in her mouth.

Dar’s stressless experience despite spending many hours in the chair convinced her partner Bob to also see the dentist. He’d been putting things off for five years.

“I thought I needed one tooth looked at and I’d been putting things off, ” he said. “I came in, the dentist took a look in my mouth and said ‘wow’ and suggested a course of treatment.”

That treatment included several crowns and implants. He too chose to have the IV sedation.

“We agreed [with the dentist] on no pain, and there was no pain,” he said.

Other sedation options include oral conscious sedation, taken as a pill pre-procedure, for patients who have moderate dental anxiety. Also, there’s laughing gas, or inhalation sedation, a form of light sedation typically suited for younger patients and those with mild dental anxiety.

In the case of IV and oral conscious sedation the patient must have a family member, friend, or caretaker drive them to and from the appointment.

“Sedation is massive, it’s a huge game-changer for patients with dental anxiety, gag reflexes or claustrophobia who need extensive treatment,” Dr. Webster, a general dentist and owner of Kelowna Dental Centre explained.

As for the cost, because sedation allows for important treatment to be given more quickly and efficiently, he said it actually reduces the bill.

“We also offer financing, so a big thing we try to accomplish here is making all care accessible for people.

“Dar and Bob are a great example of people who needed extensive treatment. The cost otherwise would have been unattainable for them. We were able to finance it and it changed their lives.”

Dental Anxiety is an easily treatable condition. At Kelowna Dental Centre, they specialize in treating anxious patients through sedation and sleep dentistry. Visit Kelowna Dental Centre today.