Getting Your Kids Ready for IV Sedation

Your kids are only a few days away from another dental appointment, but they don’t seem too enthusiastic about it. On the contrary, they’ve been losing sleep just thinking of what they might experience at their dentist’s office. But after thoroughly reviewing your kids’ medical history, their dentist finally agrees to put them under IV sedation on their big day. This is certainly wonderful news since your kids can receive the necessary dental treatment without having to put up with any discomfort. Although IV sedation can help solve your kids’ dilemma, it’s no joke. Therefore, you should see to it that your kids are well prepared for what lies ahead.

To help you get your kids ready for IV sedation, we have listed a number of guidelines that you must strictly adhere to:

• Pay close attention to their dentist. Your kids’ dentist will specify the medications they have to take as well as some steps they have to follow before their procedure. Thus, it’s very important for you to give him your full attention.
• Don’t give them any medications that aren’t included in their dentist’s prescription. Medications that aren’t prescribed by your kids’ dentist may have a negative effect on the infused sedative.
• Discuss IV sedation with them. To give your kids a clear idea of what to expect, you need to educate them on IV sedation. This helps lessen any anxiety that they may be feeling.
• Refrain from using strong words in explaining IV sedation to them. Using strong words such as “prick” or “shot” may only frighten your kids. Instead, use friendlier terms like “ant bite” or “point.”
• Don’t let them eat or drink anything at least 6 hours before their procedure. If your kids undergo IV sedation on an empty stomach, they have a very small chance of feeling nauseated and vomiting in the middle of their procedure.

For more guidelines on preparing your kids for IV sedation, feel free to visit your Santa Cruz dentist or call 831-440-7577 to set an appointment.