Children at Risk: Sedation at the Dentist’s Office
If you saw this segment on Sunday Night with Megyn Kelly, you may be wondering about the risks of sedation dentistry for your children.
This is why we hire a pediatric anesthesiologist to provide the safest care for children undergoing sedation in our office. Even though Dr. Michael and Joanna Laraway both have anesthesia licenses and sedate adults daily, they recognize the benefit of a specialized approach to sedation dentistry for children.
One of the biggest questions parents often ask is “Does my child really need their baby teeth – why don’t we just let them decay since they are going to fall out anyway?”
Let’s explore this further.
3 Reasons Children Need Their Baby Teeth
While it may seem logical to forgo treatment for cavities in children to avoid sedation dentistry, your child’s baby teeth serve more purpose than you may realize.
Here are three reasons to preserve baby teeth by addressing decay as soon as possible.
Prevent Sleep Apnea
Baby teeth stimulate the jaw bone and therefore help the airways to grow. Without baby teeth present until at least 10 years old, there is a good chance your child will develop life-threatening apnea as an adult.
Protect Permanent Teeth
When baby teeth are lost prematurely, the permanent teeth erupt too soon. Teeth that come through before they are fully developed are more likely to fracture or simply devitalize. Resulting root canals, crowns or extractions can easily be avoided by treating and preserving baby teeth until they are ready to fall out naturally.
Proper Chewing for Proper Digestion
We need baby teeth to chew properly. The process of chewing (especially at an early age) adequately develops facial muscles and promotes the surge of digestive enzymes. We need these enzymes (especially in childhood) to break the food down into essential amino acids – the building blocks of life. So that we can grow to our fullest genetic potential.
An Alternative to Sedation Dentistry in Children
There is an alternative to having your child be sedated for a dental procedure! Yet nobody seems to want to talk about it!
- It does not require drilling of teeth or injections.
- It requires 3 applications of this product over a span of a couple of weeks.
- It has been around for decades and is being used in many countries around the world.
- It arrests (stops) the progression of decay so that the roots of baby teeth can be present in the jaw for years until they are no longer needed because the permanent teeth are fully formed.
- There is only one undesirable side effect: It turns teeth dark.
Unless your child is about to enter a beauty contest, perhaps this option is wise to consider. Dr. Laraway uses this compound and it works well.
Follow us on social media or bring your child in for an appointment to find out more.