Dentistry

Children are well-known to be the rowdiest bunch. They like to play and go around the house as much as they want. They can also be loud, screaming and crying if they don’t get what they want. Not all children are like this though, but we have seen a lot of them in our daily lives that it is not a surprise. We were once children as well, with all that innocence that clings to us until we see what the world really is. There are a lot of things that we were afraid of when we were children, and one of them is going to the doctor. It is not just any doctor though, as many children are afraid of one kind in particular: dentists.

It may not seem to be clear at first where this bad rep of dentists came from. Maybe it is because of the procedures done, since most of them need the patient to be awake. There are also needles involved, and there are a lot of people whether young or old who are very afraid of these little things. They do hurt, but imagine those needles pricking your gums or mouth. All of these happen while you are still awake. If you are a little kid, everything just looks bigger and scarier.

This would just worsen the trauma and could get worse even after repeated attempts for a dentist’s visit. There are therapies designed for this like in this article.

Choosing A Dentist – The Closer, The Better

As a parent, you need to look for a dentist that is already familiar to you or your family. You may have personal experience working with this particular dentist as well. Parents should always accompany their children to any kind of medical related issues. They should be the first to know and they should be responsible with their children.

Once you already know who the dentist is, let your child be educated about why he or she is here in the clinic. They might be afraid already, so don’t add to their fears and anxieties. Be supportive with your child’s decisions, but don’t let them make the rules either. You should choose a dentist, like this Jacksonville pediatric dentist, who can calm your child’s fears as well as make them understand the necessity of the procedure at the same time.

It is understandable that your child is afraid of the dentist, but there are cases that they really do need to visit the dental clinic already. Most children are really into sweets, and it is a well-known fact that they won’t refuse a candy or two. It is important to keep track of their diet as well because this can influence their lifestyle later in life. It might be innocent today, but problematic once they are adults.

If your child is already panicking but they already need the dentist, then it might be best to ask if they offer sedation. Most s would prefer this method because it is the safest one. Sedation dentistry is a branch of this field that deals with anesthesia and sleep inducement. This is a last resort if the dentist cannot really control the patient anymore. Most of these patients are already trying to run and get away from the clinic altogether. With the parents or guardian’s consent, this can be done with the child as well, although with a lot of precautions

Common Methods Of Sedation

One of the most common ways that a dentist can perform sedation dentistry is through laughing gas. Also known as nitrous oxide, this gas calms the patient enough for the doctor to start any procedure.  The term “laughing gas” was made because you will feel elated afterwards. Even if the dentist will have to operate on your teeth and gums, you don’t even care anymore. You just have to sit there and relax.

However, the effects of laughing gas do wear off quite quickly. A child would usually need just a little whiff of the gas then they would be affected immediately. It would be best to tone down your child’s fears while young with effective sedation techniques too so that this fear doesn’t persist in adulthood.

There are also other options if the laughing gas does not work. For children, the next step is to let them drink a medicine that would induce relaxation. Triazolam is one of the common medications and there are others as well. However, you need to inform the doctor if your child has any allergies regarding medications. It can be dangerous for your child to take in any medicine and remember that this is just the last resort. You can always ask your dentist to cancel if your child cannot really handle the procedure.