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Nitrous Oxide /
Outpatient General Anesthesia
Care of the Mouth after Local Anesthetic
Care of the Mouth
after Trauma
Care of the Mouth
after Extractions
Care of Sealants
Oral
Discomfort after a Cleaning
Nitrous Oxide
Some children
are given nitrous oxide/oxygen, or what you may know as laughing gas, to
relax them for their dental treatment. Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a blend of
two gases, oxygen and nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide/oxygen is given through
a small breathing mask which is placed over the child’s nose, allowing
them to relax, but without putting them to sleep. The American Academy of
Pediatric Dentistry, recognizes this technique as a very safe, effective
technique to use for treating children’s dental needs. The gas is mild,
easily taken, then with normal breathing, it is quickly eliminated from
the body. It is non-addictive. While inhaling nitrous oxide/oxygen, your
child remains fully conscious and keeps all natural reflexes.
Prior to your
appointment:
-
Please
inform us of any change to your child’s health and/or medical
condition.
-
Tell us
about any respiratory condition that makes breathing through the nose
difficult for your child. It may limit the effectiveness of the
nitrous oxide/oxygen.
-
Let us know
if your child is taking any medication on the day of the appointment.
Outpatient
General Anesthesia
Outpatient
General Anesthesia is recommended for apprehensive children, very young
children, and children with special needs that would not work well under
conscious sedation or I.V. sedation. General anesthesia renders your child
completely asleep. This would be the same as if he/she was having their
tonsils removed, ear tubes, or hernia repaired. This is performed in a
hospital or outpatient setting only. While the assumed risks are greater
than that of other treatment options, if this is suggested for your child,
the benefits of treatment this way have been deemed to outweigh the risks.
Most pediatric medical literature places the risk of a serious reaction in
the range of 1 in 25,000 to 1 in 200,000, far better than the assumed risk
of even driving a car daily. The inherent risks if this is not chosen are
multiple appointments, potential for physical restraint to complete
treatment and possible emotional and/or physical injury to your child in
order to complete their dental treatment. The risks of NO treatment
include tooth pain, infection, swelling, the spread of new decay, damage
to their developing adult teeth and possible life threatening
hospitalization from a dental infection.
Prior to your
appointment:
-
Please
notify us of any change in your child’s health. Do not bring your
child for treatment with a fever, ear infection or cold. Should your
child become ill, contact us to see if it is necessary to postpone the
appointment.
-
You must
tell the doctor of any drugs that your child is currently taking and
any drug reactions and/or change in medical history.
-
Please dress
your child in loose fitting, comfortable clothing.
-
Your child
should not have liquids or solid food after midnight prior to the
scheduled procedure. -
The child’s
parent or legal guardian must remain at the hospital or surgical site
waiting room during the complete procedure.
After the
appointment:
-
Your child
will be drowsy and will need to be monitored very closely. Keep your
child away from areas of potential harm.
-
If your
child wants to sleep, place them on their side with their chin up.
Wake your child every hour and encourage them to have something to
drink in order to prevent dehydration. At first it is best to give
your child sips of clear liquids to prevent nausea. The first meal
should be light and easily digestible.
-
If your
child vomits, help them bend over and turn their head to the side to
insure that they do not inhale the vomit.
-
Prior to
leaving the hospital/outpatient center, you will be given a detailed
list of "Post-Op Instructions" and an emergency contact
number if needed.
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Care
of the Mouth after Local Anesthetic
-
If
the procedure was in the lower jaw the tongue, teeth,
lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.
-
If
the procedure was in the upper jaw the teeth, lip and
surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.
-
Often, children do not understand the effects of local anesthesia, and may
chew, scratch, suck, or play with the numb lip, tongue, or cheek.
These actions can cause minor irritations or they can be severe enough to
cause swelling and abrasions to the tissue.
-
Monitor your child closely for approximately
two hours following the appointment. It is often wise to keep
your child on a liquid or soft diet until the anesthetic has worn off.
Please
do not hesitate to call the office if there are any questions.
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Care
of the Mouth after Trauma
-
Please
keep the traumatized area as clean as possible. A soft wash cloth
often works well during healing to aid the process.
-
Watch
for darkening of traumatized teeth. This could be an indication of a
dying nerve (pulp).
-
If
the swelling should re-occur, our office needs to see the patient
as soon as possible. Ice should be administered during the first 24
hours to keep the swelling to a minimum.
-
Watch
for infection (gum boils) in the area of trauma. If infection is
noticed - call the office so the patient can be seen as soon as possible.
-
Maintain
a soft diet for two to three days, or until the child feels comfortable
eating normally again.
-
Avoid
sweets or foods that are extremely hot or cold.
-
If
antibiotics or pain medicines are prescribed, be sure to follow the
prescription as directed.
Please
do not hesitate to call the office if there are any questions.
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Care
of the Mouth after Extractions
-
Do
not scratch, chew, suck, or rub the lips, tongue, or cheek while they
feel numb or asleep. The child should be watched closely so he/she
does not injure his/her lip, tongue, or cheek before the anesthesia wears
off.
-
Do
not rinse the mouth for several hours.
-
Do
not spit excessively.
-
Do
not drink a carbonated beverage (Coke, Sprite, etc.) for the remainder of
the day.
-
Do
not drink through a straw.
-
Keep
fingers and tongue away from the extraction area.
Bleeding
- Some bleeding is to be expected. If unusual or sustained bleeding
occurs, place cotton gauze firmly over the extraction area and bite down
or hold in place for fifteen minutes. This can also be accomplished
with a tea bag. Repeat if necessary.
-
Maintain
a soft diet for a day or two, or until the child feels comfortable eating
normally again.
-
Avoid
strenuous exercise or physical activity for several hours after the
extraction.
Pain
- For discomfort use Children's Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin as directed for
the age of the child. If a medicine was prescribed, then follow the
directions on the bottle.
Please
do not hesitate to contact the office if there are any questions.
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Care
of Sealants
By
forming a thin covering over the pits and fissures, sealants keep out
plaque and food, thus decreasing the risk of decay. Since, the
covering is only over the biting surface of the tooth, areas on the side
and between teeth cannot be coated with the sealant. Good oral
hygiene and nutrition are still very important in preventing decay next to
these sealants or in areas unable to be covered.
Your
child should refrain from eating ice or hard candy, which tend to
fracture the sealant. Regular dental appointments are recommended in
order for your child's dentist to be certain the sealants remain in
place.
The
American Dental Association recognizes that sealants can play an important
role in the prevention of tooth decay. When properly applied and
maintained, they can successfully protect the chewing surfaces of your
child's teeth. A total prevention program includes regular visits to
the dentist, the use of fluoride, daily brushing and flossing, and
limiting the number of times sugar-rich foods are eaten. If these
measures are followed and sealants are used on the child's teeth, the risk
of decay can be reduced or may even be eliminated!
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Oral
Discomfort after a Cleaning
A
thorough cleaning unavoidably produces some bleeding and swelling and may
cause some tenderness or discomfort. This is due to tender and
inflamed gums from insufficient oral hygiene. We recommend the following for 2-3 days
after cleaning was performed:
1)
A warm salt water rinse 2 - 3 times per day
(1 teaspoon of
salt in 1 cup of warm water)
2)
For discomfort use
Children's Tylenol, Advil, or Motrin as
directed for the age of the child.
Please
do not hesitate to contact the office if the discomfort persists for more
than 7 days or if there are any questions.
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