Anesthesia
One of the most common causes of nausea related to is the use of anesthesia. Your dentist will decide which type of anesthesia to give you based on your overall health and the nature of the dental procedure being performed. General anesthesia, administered intravenously, is what is given to completely put a patient "to sleep," so that you have no consciousness during the procedure. Another type of anesthesia is drug-induced sedation; the patient is in a sedated state but usually is somewhat aware of what's happening and able to talk and respond to questions. The drugs used in general anesthesia and sedation can react with some individuals to produce nausea. Local anesthesia (where the patient is totally awake and numbing agents are administered to the site of the procedure topically or via injection) usually does not cause nausea.
Recovery
Patients are sometimes given a prescription for pain killing medication after dental surgery. These medications, such as Percocet, Oxycontin and Vicodin, are powerful narcotic pain relievers and can produce nausea in some people. For those who battle the pain without medications, the sensation of pain alone can trigger nausea. Another possible culprit during the recovery period is stimulation of the gag reflex. Some people have slight post-operative bleeding, and the taste of the blood combined with the sensation of it dripping into the throat can cause gagging, nausea and vomiting.
Remedies
There are quite a few things you can do to combat nausea following dental surgery. If you were put under general anesthesia, and you feel nausea while in the recovery room, let a nurse or the dentist know. They can give you anti-nausea medication while still in recovery. They also can prescribe medications to relieve nausea that you can take at home. If your pain medication seems to be producing nausea once you are home, call the dentist's office and request a different prescription. While one type of pain reliever might cause unpleasant side effects, another might help your pain without producing the unwanted symptom of nausea (or dizziness, drowsiness and constipation, some other common of pain relievers). Besides treating nausea medically, also try some simple home remedies. Eat at least a little food before taking pain relievers. Crackers are a good choice, but if you can't chew them, try something else bland like mashed potatoes. Sipping on ginger ale can help as well. Make sure you follow your post-operative instructions from your dentist, and take it easy for the first 24 to 48 hours; too much activity can make you feel sick to your stomach as well.
Tags: pain relievers, dental surgery, pain without, produce nausea, side effects