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Simplifying anxiolysis for everyday dental practice: A personal and professional perspective

BDJ In Practice volume 35, pages 10–11 (2022)Cite this article

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The Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care discusses the difference between oral pre-medication and oral sedation such that:

  • Oral pre-medication involves the self-administration of a small dose of an oral sedative to alleviate anxiety. This usually takes place outside the dental practice

  • Oral sedation involves the administration of a much larger dose of an oral sedative at the dental practice. The monitoring and discharge requirements for oral sedation are the same as for intravenous sedation.1

Oral pre-medication involves the self-administration of a small dose of an oral sedative to alleviate anxiety. This usually takes place outside the dental practice

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References

  1. Standards for Conscious Sedation in the Provision of Dental Care (V1.1) - Report of the Intercollegiate Advisory Committee for Sedation in Dentistry (2020). The dental faculties of the royal colleges of surgeons and the Royal College of Anaesthetists. Available at: www.saad.org.uk/IACSD%202020.pdf (accessed October 2022).

  2. Hill K, Chadwick B, Freeman R. et al. Adult Dental Health Survey 2009: relationships between dental attendance patterns, oral health behaviour and the current barriers to dental care. Br Dent J 2013; 214: 25-32.

  3. Nuttall N, Freeman R, Beavan-Seymour C, Hill K. 8: Access and barriers to care - a report from the Adult Dental Health Survey 2009. 2011. Available at:https://files.digital.nhs.uk/publicationimport/pub01xxx/pub01086/adul-dent-heal-surv-summ-them-the8-2009-re10.pdf(accessed October 2022).

  4. Finn K, Kwasnicki A, Field E. et al. UK Dental Medicines Advisory Service - questions asked by dentists: part 3 - prescribing of anxiolytic medications in dental practice. Br Dent J 2021; 231: 556-561.

  5. British National Formulary (online) 2022. NICE. Available at: https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summaries/sedation-anaesthesia-and-resuscitation-in-dental-practice/ (accessed October 2022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Haywards Heath Health Centre, Sussex Community Foundation Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom

    Robert Emanuel

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  1. Robert Emanuel
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Correspondence to Robert Emanuel.

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Emanuel, R. Simplifying anxiolysis for everyday dental practice: A personal and professional perspective. BDJ In Pract 35, 10–11 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1786-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-022-1786-8

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