I tried to see if this had already been addressed, and I am sure it probably has, but I couldn't find it the first try. My question is have any of you been put under for something like a dental cleaning? I am due for mine, and I have Sjogren's Syndrome, so regular cleanings are important. I intend on waiting to see if my meds. help more with the pain (I am new), but if they do not, I am concerned about what to do for dental cleanings. My teeth were sensitive before, I cannot even imagine what getting dental cleanings would be like now. Personal experience? Suggestions?

I have post herpatic and trigeminal neuralgia since October 2009. I have needed lots of dentistry work since then as my saliva glands do not work and the decay is difficult to control or halt. I've had four lots of treatments this year, 2 cleans, 4 fillings all with local pain relief and have gone into shock each time as it was just horrendous.

The one time I had a sedative and local pain relief and it was no problem and that involved a large molar extraction. I would recommend the sedative as then you will get the best clean ever. You won't get distressed during the procedure and then the dentist will not have to abandon the clean early as the dentist knows to stop when you get distressed. This has been the problem I have had as each time the dentist starts the clean left to right and never gets to the right as I am looking so ill by that time.

Good luck:

My yearly cleaning involves the use of nitrous oxide and topical anesthetics. At this time and for the last couple of years, I only do one cleaning a year as its all I can take. I do load up on meds a couple of days ahead of time and the morning of my appointment. In the interim, I use toothpastes for sensitive teeth and flouride rinses, such as Act. I also use a surgical tooth brush that is softer than anything available in stores and soak it in hot water before using. My periodontist gives them to me. I don't currently have any gum disease, but I'm at risk for it because of all this. This last go around, they gave me some disolvable pills that increase the flow of saliva as one of my medications is causing dry mouth and that further increases the risk. They didn't tell me the name of these things, but they do seem to be working. Biotene also makes several products which do the same thing and they are available over the counter.