Even if their teeth need help, perhaps your child fears dentists. That’s common enough – plenty of kids deal with dental anxiety. Still, you may hesitate to consider sedation as an option. It can seem potentially harmful if you know little about it. Luckily, you have no reason to worry; sedation dentistry is safe for children. Your Royal Palm Beach dentist can even prove this fact. So, here’s a primer on dental sedation, why it’s safe, and the types available for kids.
Is Sedation Dentistry Safe for Children?
When done by a qualified dentist, dental sedation is quite safe for youngsters. It shouldn’t cause them any nasty effects.
For starters, dental sedatives don’t damage kids’ health. They just promote feelings of calm and relaxation. That way, your little one can get crucial dental procedures. Plus, any of the sedatives’ risks are minor at best. They rarely rise above (say) temporary nausea.
At the same time, dentists are careful when they perform sedation. They always select the most suitable type for your child. Similarly, they’ll even monitor a kid’s vital signs during the procedure.
Dental Sedation Options for Kids
If a child needs dental sedation, it can take several safe forms. These include the following:
Nitrous Oxide Sedation
Nitrous oxide – also known as laughing gas – is the most common dental sedative. As used by dentists, it’s administered through a nose mask. Breathing it then helps a kid relax and feel mildly euphoric. From there, the child patient is calm yet alert enough to receive care.
Vitally, nitrous oxide doesn’t have lasting side effects. The gas “wears off” almost as soon as the child stops inhaling it. In other words, your kid will return to normal right after the procedure.
Oral Conscious Sedation
Rather than a gas, oral conscious sedation takes the form of a pill. This medicine (provided by a dentist) is ingested before the procedure. After taking it, your child will feel quite calm and ready for treatment.
All that said, some kids aren’t good candidates for oral sedation. The pill might not interact well with a child’s bodily systems. As such, a dentist will assess your young one to see if oral sedatives suit them. They’ll then consider an alternative if they decide the pill isn’t a good fit.
In the end, sedation dentistry is safe for children. Therefore, consider it for your kiddo’s next dental checkup or procedure.
About the Practice
Pearl Palm Beach Dental is based in Royal Palm Beach, FL. Led by Dr. Civetti and her team, our practice wants every patient to get the smile they deserve. We thus offer preventive, cosmetic, and restorative work, as well as emergency dental services. Naturally, our office also provides great dental sedation options upon request. For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (561)-771-5239.