Previously I blogged about oral sedation and talked about some medications. In this blog however, I will talk more about general benefits of oral sedation and its application in dentistry.

If dentist apply oral sedation in his office ,he can:

1. Increase the quality of his procedures
2. Increase the quantity of treatments
3. Have more accepted treatment plans
4. Decrease stress for the patient 

Patients who can benefit from oral sedation are so many however I will mention some of them ;

• Complex big cases patients
• Those who are allergic to Anesthesia
• Phobic,Anxious and Fearful patients
• Sever Gag reflex patients
• Post operative sensitive patients

It is documented that 30 to 50% of patients avoid the dentist due to fear.


Spectrum of sedation has 3 phases

1. Minimal sedation
2. Moderate sedation
3. Deep sedation

Dentists should sedate patients in their office within the minimal and moderate levels only. Deep sedation attempts should be avoided unless the dentist has gone
through special residency training and got special licence.

Let us mention some of the most popular oral sedatives dentists can use:

Generic                       Trade
Diazepam                     Valium
Zalepon                         Sonata
Triazolam                      Halcion
Hydroxyzine                   Atarax or Vistaril
Lorazepam                      Ativan
Nitrous Oxide                 Laughing gas


In every dental office using oral sedatives, Romazicon (flumazenil) 10ml injection 1mg/10ml or 0.1mg/ml should be available to reverse the effect of bezos in case of over sedation(overdose).

Protocols: Usually pill can be taken one to two hours before procedure. If pill will be taken home, somebody should accompany the patient and he should be informed.
A dose at night can be given as well one day before the appointment depending on the case.

Valium(Diazepam) is usually given at bedtime . Dose depends on some factors like age, BMI, history and other medications.

• If age >or = to 65,then the dose ranges from 0 to 2.5mg 
• If BMI >or= to 30,then the dose ranges from 5 to 10mg

The more obese the patient is the higher the dose that can be given

Patients taking CNS depressants or other serious medications should be treated carefully. You should avoid prescribing Valium to all patients with the same dosage. Please seek  consultation from experts before prescribing any medicine
in critical medical cases.

If you use oral sedatives in your office, it is recommended to track and monitor vital sign during the whole treatment appointment.Pulse oximeter blood pressure unite is necessary in this regard.