There has been a significant increase in pediatric dentists’ using anesthesia for children have routine treatments, such as tooth extractions, root canals, and filling cavities. The most common childhood infectious disease, tooth decay, affects 621 million children worldwide. According to the CDC, untreated cavities can cause infections and pain, leading to problems speaking, eating, learning and playing.
But how much do parents and caregivers really know about dental anesthesia?
Unfortunately, while under anesthesia, some kids are not properly being monitored, leading to serious injuries and even death.
Which has prompted the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) to issue national guidelines for the use of anesthesia by pediatric dentists when debating children for procedures.
“The guidelines, issued jointly by the AAPD and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), call for certified anesthesiologists and trained emergency response specialists to be present in dentists’ offices whenever children are put under sedation,” WebMD
“The guidelines go right down to safety equipment that must be available and all types of things for procedures — preoperative, things to do during the operation, and post-operative procedures,” says Kevin J. Donly, DDS, a professor and chair of the Department of Developmental Dentistry at the University of Texas Health San Antonio and a former officer for the AAPD.
According to WebMD, Experts suggest parents and caregivers ask the following questions:
What procedure are you going to do, and do you have to do it?
What medicines are you going to use to sedate my child?
Will there be a separate certified provider for general anesthesia in the room?
How will my child be monitored by a second medical specialist during the procedure should something go wrong?
How much training and experience have the personnel had in caring for kids my child’s age?
For the highest level of safety, have hospital level anesthesia brought to your dental office
You are in great hands at Blue Sky Solutions, we bring hospital level sedation to your dental office. Contact Blue Sky Solutions for more information. We are proud to partner with dentist throughout New Hampshire, including Salem, Bedford, Amherst, Barrington, Concord, Dover, Nashua, and Rochester.
