Paediatric Dental Department
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Inhalation Sedation for Dental Treatment Leaflet PIAG 126 (391kB)
Important Information for patients and escorts / carers
Please read this leaflet carefully before your treatment appointment. Failure to follow the instructions may mean your child’s treatment has to be cancelled. If you have any queries, please ask the dentist or nurse who is looking after your child. You may also telephone us on 0151 252 5258.
Many children feel anxious about having dental treatment and there are several ways in which we can help your child. One method of reducing anxiety is to give your child inhalation sedation during their treatment. As this method requires your child being able to breathe through their nose, if your child is unable to do so, due to a cold for example, please cancel the sedation appointment unless your child requires urgent dental treatment
What are the benefits of having inhalation sedation?
Sedation by breathing a sedative gas will help your child cope with dental treatment and reduce their anxiety. Even people who do not feel anxious about dental treatment choose to have sedation for uncomfortable procedures such as extractions
How will having dental treatment with inhalation sedation help your child
It will help your child:
- Reduce their anxieties.
- Feel more relaxed.
- If your child suffers from gagging (retching) during dental treatment.
- If your child has a medical condition that may be made worse by being anxious.
What is inhalation sedation?
Inhalation sedation is one way in which we can help children who are anxious about dental treatment to relax. It is also called ‘gas and air’ or ‘relative analgesia’. It involves breathing a relaxing gas mixture in and out. It is not a general anaesthetic.
This leaflet only gives general information. You must always discuss the individual treatment of your child with the appropriate member of staff. Do not rely on this leaflet alone for information about your child’s treatment.
How is my child given inhalation sedation?
Your child will breathe the gas mixture in and out through a small nasal mask (nosepiece) which sits on their nose during treatment.
What are the risks of having inhalation sedation?
Inhalation sedation is very safe. As your child breathes the gas, they may feel dizzy or light-headed, and if they feel uncomfortable they must tell the team. We will give your child pure oxygen to breathe at the end of the treatment to help them feel more alert.
Your dentist will talk to you in more detail about the risks of inhalation sedation before you sign the consent form. Please ask questions if you are uncertain.
Are there any alternative treatments available?
The alternatives to this type of sedation are intravenous sedation, a local anaesthetic (with no sedation) or a general anaesthetic.
Intravenous sedation involves giving your child an injection of a sedative drug through a plastic tube into a vein in their arm or hand. This is usually offered to children who are 13 and over.
Treatment under a local anaesthetic will involve an injection into the gum so that there will be no pain, but your child will be conscious during treatment.
A general anaesthetic is medicine that causes your child to be temporarily unconscious (asleep), so they do not feel anything during the procedure. There are more risks with having a general anaesthetic and therefore is reserved for people who are unable to cope with treatment under sedation, due to disability, or who need a great deal of treatment.
What will happen if my child doesn’t want treatment?
If your child does not have any dental treatment, then the problem within their tooth will most likely worsen and could cause pain. Your child may develop an infection within their tooth. This may result in the tooth being lost due to the extent of the neglected infection.
How will my child feel?
After breathing the gas mixture for a few minutes your child should begin to feel less anxious and more relaxed. They may feel warm and have a sensation of floating. They will not go to sleep and will be able to talk to us.
Once your child is comfortable and relaxed, dental treatment will be carried out in the usual way.Once the sedation is stopped, recovery is rapid and after a short time your child will feel back to normal again
Instructions for paediatric patients who are to receive dental treatment with inhalation sedation (relative analgesia)
Because the gas and air is breathed through the nose, any condition that blocks your child’s nose will prevent the sedation from working. If your child has a cold, please cancel the appointment unless they need to see the dentist urgently.
On the day of your child’s sedation treatment they should:
- Take their medicines at the usual times.
- Have a light meal about two hours before their appointment.
- Be accompanied by a responsible adult, or the legal guardian if written consent is required
Before your child’s sedation appointment please let us know
- About any change in their health.
- About any change in the medicines they take.
- If they are pregnant or think that they may be pregnant.
- If they are wearing contact lenses.
- About any concerns your child may have about their proposed treatment.
After inhalation sedation your child should make a full recovery within 30 minutes of their treatment.
After sedation your child should:
- Take their medications as usual.
- We recommend that you travel with your child by car or taxi – and to avoid public transport if possible.
- Rest for the remainder of the day.
Please let us know if your child cannot keep their sedation appointment. The more notice that you give us when cancelling your child’s appointment; the more likely we are to use it for another patient.
If your child misses an appointment, without first cancelling it, they will be discharged back to their own dentist. If you keep cancelling your child’s appointments at short notice, then we are likely to request a further consultation (non-treatment) visit or they may be discharged.
We always try to be helpful, but we do need your cooperation.
If you require further information, please contact the Alder Hey Dental Department
Tel: 0151 252 5258
This information can be made available in other languages and formats if requested.
Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust
PIAG: 126