Princeton's Ask the Doctor May/June 2019

The Importance of Staying Cool This Summer&Avoiding Heat Illness

H E A L T H A R T I C L E S A N D Q & A If you have symptoms of heat illness, take off as much clothing as possible and wet yourself with cool or lukewarm water. Drink some fluids. Stay in the shade or air conditioning. WHEN TO SEEK CARE If you become confused, lose consciousness, vomit frequently, stop sweating or stop urinating, seek care immediately! PREVENTION • Stay in air conditioning if possible. • Drink lots of water before, during and after any outdoor Your body sweats to cool itself. As it gets warmer, your body must sweat more. As the sweat evaporates, your body gets cooler. If the weather is hot and humid, your sweat cannot evaporate well. So, as the humidity goes up, your body doesn’t cool off as well. This means your internal temperature rises. When you cannot sweat enough to cool your body, you may get heat illness. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat stroke and sunstroke are dif- ferent heat illnesses. SYMPTOMS • Fatigue • Weak Muscles, cramping muscles • Dizziness, confusion TREATMENT • Nausea/vomiting • Headache The comfort of any patient is critically important during any dental procedure. How this is achieved is tailored to the pain threshold and anxiety level of the individual. In my office patients have the option of four (4) possible sedation methods. Each has its advantages and disadvantages and they will be discussed. Option one (1) is a “Local Anesthetic”. This involves the administering of an injection containing a solution that will “numb” the treatment sight. The duration of this technique is anywhere from 1-3+ hours depending upon the quantity and specific solution used. The advantage of this technique is its quick onset as well as dissipating in a short period of time. The patient has no problem with driving after a procedure and can easily return to work or school. Option two (2) is “Nitrous Oxide”. The use of this gas allows a patient to experience a sense of relaxation and is able to achieve a higher pain tolerance. As long as a patient does not experience any breathing issues (or sinus issues) most patients can usually tolerate this well with much success. The effects of the nitrous oxide also wears off relatively quickly at the conclusion of the procedure. Depending upon the specific dental procedure being performed, it is possible for the mask to interfere with the site of treatmentOption three (3) is “Oral Sedation”. Administering oral medication such as “valium”

David P. Young, DMD, DICOI or “halcion” allows patients to achieve a slightly deeper level of comfort and relaxation that can last for a few hours. When this technique is utilized, the patient must be escorted home after the procedure as their driving ability is impaired. The specific dosage is case specific. It is not uncommon for patients to nap after the conclusion of the dental procedure. Option four (4) is “ IntraVenous (IV) Sedation”. With this technique an intravenous line is placed into a blood vessel thus having a direct line for the medication. For this procedure I have a Dental Anesthesiologist in my office, as constant monitoring of vitals is critically important. With this method of sedation, a patient can sleep through all of the care that’s being performed and wake up with no memory of any discomfort or time reference of the procedure. All patients must have an escort to accompany them home as they lack the cognitive capacity to drive. Patient comfort during a dental procedure is, as stated earlier, a very important factor during the appointment. Time must be taken to discuss which option is right for you. If you have any questions regarding Dental Sedation, feel free to call me at my office. activity. • Avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol. • Increase the amount of time you spend outdoors every day little by little. • Take a lot of rest breaks while outdoors in hot weather. • Avoid direct sunlight and stay in the shade when you can. • Wear light-colored, loose-fitting, open-weave clothes. • Avoid activities that require you to wear a helmet. • Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat and sun- glasses and by putting on sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. NEVER leave anyone—a person or animal—in a closed, parked vehicle. This is life threatening. Try to schedule activities or workouts early in the morning or late in the evening. Avoid heavy outdoor activity between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., when the sun is hottest. Although anyone at any time can suffer from heat-related ill- ness, some people are at greater risk than others. Check regularly on infants and young children; people aged 65 or older; people who have a mental illness, and those who are physically ill, espe- cially with heart disease or high blood pressure. Individuals with chronic respiratory illnesses such as asthma or chronic obstruc- tive pulmonary may find that their conditions worsen during pe- riods of high heat and humidity.

QUESTION: I need to have dental treatment performed but I am concerned and anxious about experiencing any discomfort. What are my options so I can be as comfortable as possible?

4432 Route 27, CN-201, Kingston, NJ 08528 Phone: 609.497.0808 www.David YoungDMD.com

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MAY/JUNE 2019