Parent Information

• Morning Appointments: Children requiring sedation are only appointed in the morning.
• No Eating or Drinking before an Appointment: To help absorption of the drug and minimize nausea and vomiting, your child must not have anything to eat for six (6) hours before administration of the sedative drug. Drinking is also forbidden for six (6) hours prior, except for a few sips of water, or clear liquids. If your child consumes any food or liquid prior to the appointment they will be rescheduled!
• Medications: The medication is an oral solution. If the child spits any out, no additional medication will be given, so if your child does not take oral medications well, this may not be the best treatment option for your child.
• Arrival at Our Office: Since the sedative drug is administered orally and requires approximately one hour to become effective, your child must be brought to our office at least one hour prior to the actual dental treatment. Once treatment begins, you can expect your child to be with us for 40-60 minutes. You may not leave the office after the sedative has been administered.
• Other Children and Appointments: Since your presence will be needed during the one hour prior to treatment while the medication is taking effect, the company of other siblings is discouraged.
• Level of Sedation: We are not trying to put your child to sleep for treatment. We are attempting to help manage their anxiety, but most children remain awake.
• During Treatment: We prefer that parents remain in the reception room during treatment. We find that the parent’s presence in the dental operatory is often a distraction to both the dentist and the child, making treatment more lengthy and sometimes more difficult. There will be a trained, qualified person with your child at all times during the appointment.
• Supervision after the Sedation: Your child may be drowsy for 2-4 hours after the appointment, so supervision by an adult must be arranged. Your child should be encouraged to drink liquids and to continue resting. Since the lips and tongue may continue to be numb, your child should be discouraged from chewing for at least 1-2 hours or until the numbness wears off.
• Do not leave the child unattended. If the child falls asleep keep the chin elevated, do not allow it to drop to the chest. If the child begins to snore, reposition the head by lifting the chin.
• Pain Control: If there is any discomfort, it will occur after the numbness wears off. You can give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or children’s Ibuprofen (Motrin) as needed. Please follow the recommended dosage and directions on the label.