Having a tooth 'done' under sedation

Not something I have ever heard about - I think you are being a bit over-anxious!

All the folk who have had hip and knee replacements under spinal + sedation will no doubt bear out that all is well.

I've never heard of that. I've had sedation several times for various procedures.

Ooh yes. Sedation was absolutely fine. I came to feeling as though I'd had a lovely relaxing sleep after my knee replacement. The medication was Midazolam.

I had sedation for my second knee replacement - brilliant! I slept most of the way through it.

When a dentist couldn't anaesthetise my front teeth enough when he was crowning them he gave me gas and air as well. I was flying, but he took it away in the end and said I was enjoying it too much

Never heard of any medical procedure "triggering" Alzheimer's, or any other form of dementia.

I've had sedation twice for very long dental procedures - I was completely out of it and didn't know a thing. I don't think there is a risk of AZ through this kind of treatment so I'm sure you'll be fine.

I had gas and air before my gastroscopy in January and found it very relaxing. The procedure was not nearly as bad as I had feared.

I didn't know it was on offer at the Dentist's. When I had my one and only(never again) root canal I had copious injections of anaesthetic but still found it extremely tough to cope. Would have loved some gas and air!

Never heard of any connection between sedation and Alzheimers or any other form of dementia.

In the last 10 years both DH and I have twice had cataract surgery under sedation. DH's second one was only a couple of months ago and I can assure you, neither of us is showing any form of mental decline. We are both in our mid-70s. DH, a chartered engineer is still doing consultancy on a freelance basis and having no problems dealing with intractable engineering problems and I edit an academic journal.

I do not think there is anything to worry about.

I've had sedation for tooth extraction twice. It's not heavy sedation - you are aware that the dentist is doing the tooth but no pain and it's a dreamy sort of awareness. You should be able to recover really quickly afterwards and not have any side effects. Good luck.

Yes I too had sedation for my dental implants. I was aware of the Dentist carrying out this procedure but felt no pain or concern! I was fine afterwards! Good luck!

I had sedation for a wisdom tooth didn't know a thing and for an endoscopy same very pleaseant actually never heard of any connection with dementia and L wouldn't really pay any attention if I had it's all the finger of fate My mum led a very healthy life good diet in fact excellent diet, exercise, social drink only, didn't smoke had Alzheimer's it's all the luck of the draw

I think you are getting a bit confused about something you might have read., it is certainly common that people with Alzeimers or other forms of dementia can become more confused and erratic filling an anaesthetic during an operation and stay in hospital. How much that is due to the strange environment and changes to routine rather than the anaesthetic itself I am not sure. I would not worry about is if you do not already have symptoms of Alzeimers.

Why no edit button? I mean " more erratic following an anaesthetic "

Thank you for the replies - so nice to hear that you have had good experiences with the sedation. I haven't read anything to say that this could trigger Alzheimers, but when I spent a few months working as a care assistant, I met 2 families who claimed (independently) that their (in one case husband, in another the wife) had suddenly developed the disease after a stay in hospital. Add that to the fact that my mother appeared to have started to develop it (in her early 50's) after a very bad flu, it has made me wonder whether there is any connection in some cases between a health trauma and the disease. I will wait and see how the tooth 'behaves' and then decide.

Dementia is not a disease you suddenly develop. All the types of dementia I am familiar with - Alzheimers, several forms of vascular dementia, dementia associated with Parkinsons, which probably accounts for 90% of all cases, are preceded by physical changes in the brain that have been taking place for years.

As your mother suffered from early onset dementia,I can understand that you will be very wary of any potential link between dementia and any other cause, but for someone to have been in hospital, they must have had a pre-existing illness and as TeacherAnne says when you are not feeling well lots of changes in your environment can be disordering and confusing. Hospitals, despite their intentions, are not restful places to be in. A constant bustle of movement, strange sounds and disturbed sleep.

When someone is the early stages of dementia. Often, while they are in their own home where ordinary life is a procession of lifetime habits, the small signs that that person is developing dementia can be missed. But if they face any trauma that leads to the disturbance of these habits, their inability to cope with change, is suddenly highlighted and it looks as if they have 'suddenly' developed dementia.

For my uncle, already diagnosed with mild dementia, his wife's hospital admission after a stroke and having carers coming into the home triggered his deterioration. He could not cope with the changes to his routine. As we discovered, she had been developing vascular dementia caused by tiny strokes for sometime, but seemed OK at home. The more severe stroke that led to her hospital admission also did enough brain damage for her to need care on discharge but it was the stroke , not the hospital admission that caused the problem

Thank you Monica, that explanation is very re-assuring. As you say, I am very wary of anything which could potentially affect the development of this disease because of my mother. Her having developed the disease at a time when it wasn't known as well as it is now was extremely tragic - there was no real treatment and we(my two sisters and I) simply watched the mum we loved disappear before our eyes. I know this is all too sadly a familiar scenario for so many.