PLEASE HELP! The dentist wants to sedate my 3 year old daughter?

Question

I was shocked when they told me she had six cavities her back teeth and one front tooth she rarely eats junk food or drinks soda and now (for filings) they want to give her chloral hydrate,demerol and another medicine for empty stomach because she can't have any food or water from midnight on also they want to give her nitrous oxide/oxygen if anyone has experienced this or know someone who has I've done some research on my own but I won't be satisfied until I know that 100% my daughter is safe I really don't feel comfortable with this whole thing

Answer 1

stay in the room wiht her at all times.

cavities arent caused by junk food, its caused by not proper brushing, good luck

Answer 2

You need to relax and take a deep breath! My daughter also had that done when she was 4. She had really bad teeth! A cavity in almost all her teeth. I know it sounds bad but at the time thats just how it was. She needed 6 of her top front teeth removed and fillings in the rest and caps on 4 of them . They also put her to sleep to do it. It was hard for her but she was very very brave about it. Of course she was in some pain afterward but not as much as I was expecting. Her teeth are just now starting to come back (she is 7 now). As hard as it was at the time to get all that done at least now I know that she wont have any more problems in the future (hopefully). And because of the experiance my daughter is now a lot more careful when eating sweets and she brushes more frequently also. And she is becoming a role model for her little sister also. So you just need to keep in mind that whatever you do for your daughter today is to make her tomorrow better. It is a hard to decision to make but you have to decide what is best for your daughter.

Wish you all the best!

Answer 3

Umm others are so quick to say no, okay...  Please put yourself in a 3yo's mindset, how scary it must be for them..  They don't understand what is happening to them at ALL..  I have a 3yo daughter, she chipped her front tooth and it needs to be bonded..  We are having it done on Sept 4th with sedation, she was petrified just getting a cleaning, and without sedation they generally use a papoose to keep them from moving...  I don't know about others but I am not having my baby strapped into some device, scared out of her wits, while someone drills at her mouth...  Sedation dentistry is very common with pediatrics, and unless you have a valid reason to let your child lay there scared to death in tears, than I recommend sedation...  I'm no expert, just a mom of a child that age...  Baby teeth are very important and need to be treated no matter what..  My dd has been to the dentist since 1, and still to this day is scared, I can't imagine her getting a filling strapped down helpless.

Answer 4

get a second opinion.  

Answer 5

Gas is great for kids that age for dental work.  My younger sister had similar tooth problems from having soft baby teeth.  

She went to a pediatric dentist and they always used nitrous oxide for her, simply because it kept her relaxed and kept them from having to use Novocaine and sticking her many times with a needle (which is horribly painful afterwards).

She actually loved going to the dentist, she didn't get scared or anything, she liked going because they let her watch tv in the ceiling and she didn't get stressed.

Answer 6

I know exactly how you feel! My daughter had the same thing done at 3. Plus she needed caps. And they had to sedate her. I was so nervous and frighten for her and so was she. Take a breath Mom and everything will be alright. Its for the best, just think if she gets it done her teeth wont hurt in the long run. Yes she will be sore and cry afterwards but thats when you walk in and baby her. You have to trust the dentist. Make sure she brushes her teeth twice a day. She doesn't have to drink coke and eat candy to get cavities. I wish the best for yall.

Answer 7

it may and may not hurt her idk cause

in my doctorthey put this stuff on your teeth so it doesnt hurt when they pull it out i was so bussy still sitting thinking is he gonna pull it out yet

ask them 2 put that 4 her and jumake her stop eatng lots of candy's if she does

Answer 8

If it were my daughter, I'd get a second and third opinion. That sounds scary so you do want to make sure it's necessary.

I don't trust most dentists. I've had several of them tell me I've needed procedures that I did not need. I doubt they'd do that to a little girl but my inherent mistrust remains.

Also, some kids are just prone to cavities. I had them all the time when I was growing up, my siblings did not. We ate the same foods and had the same dental health habits. Of course, they all ended up with braces but I didn't. So it worked out okay. ;-)  

Answer 9

She'll probally be fine once she loses all her baby teeth but until then you will have a constant problem of them falling out until she loses all those teeth check her teeth after every time she brushes witch sould be at least 2 times a day

Answer 10

I am a dental hygienist and I totally understand your concern about this.  The only thing that would make me get another opinion (which you should probably do) is that you stated she was very good at her exam/cleaning appointment.  You could ask if they could only give her the nitrous and use the local anesthetic instead of sedating her completely since she did so well before if the sedation scares you.  But trust me it is totally safe- I'm sure the Dr. does it every day.  Btw, nitrous is just laughing gas and after being on pure oxygen for 5 minutes there is no effect anymore it doesn't do anything to that isn't immediately reversible.  My experience with pediatric offices (and patients) is that the fewer appointments the better.  The dentist is probably considering her age and that 6 fillings is a lot and making her sit through more than 1 appointment will be more traumatic on her than just sedating her and getting it over with.  That way she will have no knowledge of the procedure after and won't be apprehensive about future appointments.  It's the way I would go if it were my daughter.  Hope this helps.

Answer 11

No do not let him!!!! Get a second opinion!

Answer 12

This is the best way to prevent pain and a phobia of the dentist. My little one had it done. She is now 8 and she loves the dentist. Yes she will be a little cranky after. Be prepared when she wakes up she will probably cry and sound horse. I wouldn't have had it done any other way at that age. She will be fine.

Answer 13

No.No No....Too young sounds a little creepy to me. Find another dentist. At her tender your dealing with baby teeth, find a good dentist who specializes in that field. never let a child that young be put to sleep without a second opinion. if need be go to your pediatric dr. and ask there advice. Hope all turns out well for your child.. take care.

Answer 14

That is a little scary my daughter who is 3 needs to go to the dentist and if they told me she would have to go under i'd flip! I dont understand the big deal do they hurt her, i mean do her teeth hurt? After all they ARE only baby teeth and in a few years she will be growing in her adult teeth! I personally wouldnt allow it I would ask for alternative methods to rid cativies!  For a child that young it canmt possibly safe! Plus do you honsetly think your daughter will go without eating or drinking for longer than 5-6 hours Doubt it! I would either get a second opinion or ask about alternatives to a sedative drug. Also imagine the amount of money that will be spent for baby teeth, if they hurt her then thats another thing but if not its a tough lose-lose situation....good luck!

Answer 15

The dentist will not be able to fix her teeth any other way - my nephew had an operation on his teeth which they put him under for - children need to be sedated - more so then adults - I know you are worried its not an easy thing to deal with - she will be fine

Answer 16

My son underwent conscious sedation for dental cavities at age 5.  Before leaving he took a xanex 0.25mg.  Once there he drank a solution containing benadryl (sedative like chloral hydrate) that also contained other medicines too including versed.  He was not knocked out.  He was awake, drowsy and acted like someone who is drunk.  He was given the gas which he didn't keep on much and he was hooked up to monitors including a heart monitor and a pulse ox.  I was not at all concerned.  Few people are allergic to these meds, and in case of respiratory depression he was monitored closely and remedies are right there, my son talked the whole time.

Yeah the alternative is to book the OR at your local hospital none of which is covered pay 3500 dollars and go under general anesthesia, or force her and have it done with a local anesthetic like lidocane and have her be terrified for life of large needles and dentists.  This is common practice to do conscious sedation and really no question is the best choice.  And for those brilliant answers who say leave the baby teeth alone, they rot, into the adult teeth that are underneath of them.  So that isn't an option either.  And conscious sedation is only performed by specialists, I wouldn't think that would need to be said.  Boy did you get some really bad answers, I mean really!

Answer 17

My niece had all the done at the same age as your child.  They gave her the demerol (sp?) and we kept her in the waiting room with us until it kicked in.  They gave her "laughing gas" when they were in the room working on her to relax her too.  They don't want you to be in the room with her when they are working on her because if you see her crying or screaming (not from pain but from discomort) it will really freak you out.  Most parents dont feel comfortable with all of this and that is natural.  I almost recommend that you leave the waiting room while they are working on her just so that you cant hear her cry in case she does.  She won't really remember what happened in there and she wont be in any pain.  Just uncomfortable as you would be in the same situation.  It will turn out ok.  Just get it over with and plan to do something really fun with your child afterwards like going to a movie or something.  But usually after all of this, kids want to sleep for the rest of the day.

Answer 18

My son got caps at about 4 yrs old.  He needed to be sedated too.  The first Dentist wanted to put him completely under, but we were afraid of that.  We got a 2nd opinion and that Dentist said sedation was the better option.  He was completely fine and hasn't had any issues to this day...other than being a 4 year old.  Ask if you can be in the room until he is sedated if that will make you feel better.  They allowed my wife to be in there, but she had to step out when they began the capping.