A US dentist has encouraged the use of sedation in helping people who avoid seeking treatment due to fear.

Patients are given a prescriptive sedative the night before a procedure, meaning the next day they will feel relaxed allowing treatment to be carried out more efficiently, Dr Tim Robinson told KPLC.

Describing how patients react to the sedation techniques Dr Robinson said: “They can still respond to verbal commands, they’re breathing on their own, some sleep and snore while they’re in the chair.”

Known as conscience sedation, the techniques are shown to reduce anxiety and in most cases people have no memory of the procedure due to the sedative’s amnesic qualities.

According to the British Dental Health Foundation, sedation techniques can be of great benefit to those who are scared of visiting the dentist as with each appointment it becomes less frightening and often more work can be carried out in one appointment as the patient is far less nervous.