The Dental Organization for Conscious Sedation reports that approximately 30 percent of people avoid visiting the dentist due to fear or anxiety. Fortunately, recent sedation techniques have changed the way many people feel about the dentist. In honor of Mental Health Month, Dr. Greenfield would like to discuss how sedation dentistry has been providing mental wellness since the 1840s.
Horace Wells
A Connecticut dentist named Horace Wells convinced his partner, John Riggs, to use nitrous oxide to extract his troublesome tooth. The extraction was a success and Wells felt no discomfort. He then attempted to demonstrate the use of nitrous oxide as an anesthetic at the Massachusetts General Hospital in 1845. However, during the demonstration, the gas bag was withdrawn too soon and the patient experienced pain. The audience booed Wells and left the room unimpressed, leaving Wells to face a lifetime of embarrassment.
