Safe for Children
As a parent, it's natural to want to ease your child's pain and discomfort. And while most children have a very positive experience at the dentist's office, some may get anxious. Others may be too young to sit still in the dentist's chair for a 15 or 20 minute procedure. How can you ensure your child receives the dental care he or she needs with as little discomfort as possible? Talk to your child's dentist about chloral hydrate sedation.
Chloral hydrate sedation is a form of oral sedation used primarily for young children and infants. The goal is to help your child become relaxed, even sleepy. Unlike with general anesthesia, your child remains conscious throughout the dental treatment.
A pediatric dentist (a dentist specially trained in the needs of children) can use chloral hydrate sedation to provide treatment to children with dental anxiety and those who can't sit still long enough to safely undergo needed care.
Monitoring Is a Must
Small children and infants feel the effects of medicine more intensely than adults. While most forms of conscious sedation may leave an adult feeling relaxed but alert, chloral hydrate sedation may make a toddler or infant very sleepy. That's why constant monitoring of your child once he or she is sedated is a must. A device called a pulse oximeter can be placed on one of your child's fingers or toes to monitor his or her breathing and oxygen levels before, during and after the dental procedure.
Chloral hydrate is an unpleasant tasting, syrupy liquid. It is usually mixed with a clear liquid such as water or fruit juice to help your child keep it down. It may take several minutes for the sedative effect to kick in. Once it does, most children stay drowsy during the entire dental procedure. Some even fall asleep but can easily be woken up. Your pediatric dentist will continue to monitor your child's breathing and oxygen levels throughout the procedure and may occasionally wake your child up should he or she fall asleep.