Little girl at the dentist smiles while high-fiving her dentist before receiving dental sedation

Oral Conscious Sedation vs. Laughing Gas

November 25, 2020 9:22 pm

Visiting the dentist twice a year is one of the most important ways to maintain your oral and overall health. We recommend a child’s first dental visit to be soon after their first tooth emerges. However, we understand that many children experience dental anxiety or fear at the dentist.

Dental anxiety affects patients of all ages. Fortunately, there is a service that can help patients feel calm during their dental care: sedation dentistry.

When carefully administered by our specially-trained team, sedation dentistry can help your child feel comfortable, safe, and relaxed during their dental treatment. This allows them to receive the oral healthcare they need! In this blog post, we’ll review two popular sedation options to help you determine which is right for your child.

Laughing Gas

Nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas, helps patients with mild anxiety to moderate anxiety remain relaxed. This safe and effective gas is inhaled through a nose mask. Its effects wear off quickly after treatment so your child will be feeling like themselves within minutes.

Oral Conscious Sedation

Oral conscious sedation is ideal for mild and moderate anxiety or lengthier procedures. It is administered in a liquid or pill form before your child’s treatment. While they will remain conscious, the medication will cause them to feel calm and a bit drowsy during their treatment. They may even fall asleep. It can take some time for the effects of oral conscious sedation to wear off, so make sure your child gets ample rest after their treatment is over.

At Tots to Teens Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we also offer general anesthesia which is conducted on an outpatient basis at a nearby hospital for more involved procedures.

Gentle Dentist for Kids in Lytle, TX

Our team at Tots to Teens Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics, we take pride in helping our young patients feel relaxed, comfortable, and happy while receiving the very best oral healthcare treatment. Our office is complete with amenities to help your child feel cozy, including warm blankets, TVs in our treatment rooms, and a play area with toys and books.

If you are interested in an affordable pediatric dentist for your child, contact us today!

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