Naturally, a parent’s primary concern regarding dental procedures is safety. If your child requires a dental procedure that will necessitate dental sedation and you’re worried about it, then this is the blog for you. Sedation is a safe process for your child. However, it is essential to work with medical professionals to decide what kind of sedation will be right for your child. It is also important to know how you, as a parent, can help the process run more smoothly. Below, we break down the different types of sedation, and how to care for your child before and after the procedure.
Types of Sedation
Nitrous Oxide: This kind of sedation is also known as laughing gas. Your child will breathe the gas in through a mask, and it will simply help them feel more relaxed during the procedure. They will not be asleep.
Mild Sedation: With this kind of sedation your child is awake and able to respond to any commands the pediatric dentist might give during the procedure. They might even have some memory of the procedure itself after it’s all over. This is a very safe form of sedation as the child is awake the entire time.
Moderate Sedation: With this kind of sedation, your child is much sleepier. Though they will be able to respond to the dentist if necessary, they will likely not remember anything about the oral surgery.
Deep Sedation: This is an intravenous sedation. With this kind of sedation, your child’s heartbeat and breathing are closely monitored.
General Anesthesia: With this kind of sedation your child is entirely unconscious. Trained anesthesiologists will be administering the drug and monitoring your child throughout the procedure. This form of sedation also takes the longest recovery time.
Preparing for Sedation
When it comes to preparing your child for their procedure the most important thing is to observe the food and water restrictions as instructed by your pediatric dentist. The reason to avoid food and drink before sedation is because there is a risk that the contents of your child’s stomach could be vomited up and inhaled into the lungs. It is also important to dress your child in loose clothing so that the dental assistants can hook up whatever monitors they need without difficulty. Finally, you will need to provide your dentist with a full medical history for your child and include any medications or supplements your child is taking.
Care After Sedations
When your child wakes up, he or she will likely be a little disoriented, dizzy, and confused. This can be scary for a child, so make sure that you are there in the room with them when they wake up. You should make sure that your child is resting as the effects of the anesthesia are wearing off. You’ll want to monitor them closely for the first few hours. If fever, severe pain, or vomiting occur make sure to call your pediatric dentist immediately.
Come See Dr. Scott!
If you’re looking for a pediatric dentist you can trust, then come see Dr. Scott. Having been in the business for many years, he knows how to work with parents and children so that they feel at ease in the dentist’s office. Dr. Scott will be happy to answer all your questions and guide you through whatever procedures your child needs. Contact us at Parkcrest Dental today to set up an appointment with Dr. Scott.
