If you have ever dealt with kids, you know how hard it can get to make them sit down and do as you say. When it comes to seeing the dentist, it is normal for kids to get anxious. This is because of their fears of dental procedures. And if we are being honest, some procedures do hurt.

Seasoned dentists may suggest administering a form of medication technique that may help relax the kids and calm them down. This process is called as ‘sedation’ and there are three common types of it:

Conscious Sedation

Conscious Sedation is administered by making the patient inhale gas, swallow a pill or syrup, through intravenous medicine, and or an injection. This type of sedation makes the child drowsy or sleepy, but he/she still stays conscious of the surroundings.

Nitrous Oxide

It is a form of conscious sedation. Nitrous oxide is popularly known as laughing gas. It is administered when a child is mildly or moderately anxious. It eases their fears so that they calm down and relax. Nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and is delivered through a mask. The child remains awake and interacts with the surroundings. This gas is safe and can be quickly eliminated from the body after the procedure by using oxygen to flush nitrous oxide out.

It is best to feed children light meals before proceeding with this type of sedation because it may cause slight nausea. If a child rejects wearing a mask, then this may not be the kind of sedation method you would want to go ahead with.

Oral Sedation

Children who are more anxious or agitated by the visit need something stronger to calm them down so that the dentist may perform dental procedures safely. In this method, medicine is given orally after considering the following factors:

• Treatment
• Anxiety level
• Ability to cooperate

The child will be very sleepy, but may respond to vocal stimuli. Before choosing oral sedation, consider the following points and discuss with your doctor:

• What to watch out for during the treatment
• Whether to eat or drink before the treatment
• What to expect during the treatment

Advanced Dental Centre is a state-of-the-art dentistry facility in Germantown that specializes in family and cosmetic dentistry in Germantown and practices safe sedation techniques. For more information, contact us, or visit our website.