Sedation Dentistry

Elizabeth City Children’s Dentist

At Tidal Smiles Pediatric Dentistry in Elizabeth City, we offer sedation dentistry to ensure your child has a comfortable, safe experience with our team. Sedation Dentistry uses medication to help your child relax for a better dental care experience. Sedation dentistry can even help patients with severe dental anxiety.

Sedation dentistry offers many benefits to meet your child’s individual needs. Sedation allows their body to relax more completely. This increases the effectiveness of the nitrous oxide (laughing gas) and local anesthesia. Sedation dentistry reduces the sensation of passing time, which can be very useful for completing complex or multiple treatments in a single sitting.

We offer Nitrous oxide and oral conscious sedation.  In every case, your child’s sedation is closely monitored by experienced dental professionals who ensure their safety and comfort.

Nitrous Oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, is a mild dental sedation medication. Once inhaled, it induces a state of mild relaxation. It also reduces sensitivity to pain. Nitrous Oxide is safe for virtually every patient, regardless of age. Following treatment, oxygen is used to neutralize the effects of the nitrous oxide. Once this is complete, your child will be fully alert.

Oral Conscious Sedation, or OCS, provides a stronger level of sedation than Nitrous Oxide. Though your child is still able to stand, walk, or answer questions, they remain in a calm and drowsy state throughout treatment. With OCS, many children have found they have little memory of the procedure after the fact. For patients with dental anxiety, this can be a great benefit.

Your child’s safety is our top priority. At your appointment, be sure to tell us:

• Any prescription medications or over-the-counter medications your child is taking.
• Any herbal or nutritional supplements they are using.
• Any allergies they have, particularly medication reactions.
• Any health conditions they have.
• Any questions or concerns you may have about your child’s treatment or about sedation dentistry.

For more information about sedation dentistry, contact Tidal Smiles Pediatric Dentistry.