Dentist uses Nitrous Oxide?

Dr Steve wrote:

It is possible a different dentist may have better luck, but don't
count on it given the history. If you try another dentist, make sure
that dentist has the chance to gain the child's trust prior to trying
to fix any teeth. That often means you get to pay to have the child's
teeth cleaned again. Often it means you get to pay for a whole series
of minor little appointments designed solely to gain the child's
trust.

I've not responded before since Hunter has not needed dental work and was
fine with exams and cleaning. One thing I did do was take him when I got my
teeth cleaned before we went. Like you suggested that visit (as well as his
the following week) was just another errand on our agenda, no special
comments were made. We had a family dentist so it was the same guy.

Clearly the OP's child is very anxious (which I image some kids just are, I
don't think my second son is going to respond quite as well as my first just
knowing his personality) but if anyone else in her family needs dental work
(and is not anxious about it) it might benifit him to go along.

I wish her little guy good luck. Cleanings and exams area walk in the part
compared to actual work I imagine.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)

Mary Elliott wrote:

My son also had nitrous oxide at a younger age
with an other dentist; I worry about long-term
effects; I don't think it's possible to prove
something is completely safe.

It's a gas. It has no long lasting consequences.
g Tell that to the folks that were gassed in Auschwitz..
Seriously, thats a bit too simplistic. I think NiOx doesn't do much harm
shortterm, pump the kid full of vit B12 and folic acid (in most multivit
tabs) after the visit to get him back in shape.
Longterm (abuse) can lead to myeloneuropathy..

--
madiba

Wendy Marsden wrote in :

What's not clear to me is what happens if we don't get these cavities
filled for months or years. One of the five cavities was abscessed in May
and a second one was fairly deep and we discussed whether to restore it or
pull it when we were pulling the abscessed one (which was pulled
promptly.) Nothing has been done with it in three months at this point
and my kid cries everytime we floss there. All of the cavities are
between back teeth, though his teeth are fairly widely spaced. (His front
teeth are all fine.)

Your kid is 4yo, right?

I think the way to work forward is to accept you and the kid are going to
spend a long time at dentist's surgery. The dentists I have dealt with
(in the UK) would only do one tooth per visit, unless they have two easy
teeth. They would only do teeth on one side of the mouth. With five
cavities, you would expect at least six visits. Ideally they would be every
week, so the kid and the dentist can build up a rapport.

FWIW, did the dentist pull the abcessed one at the visit?

--
Penny Gaines
UK mum to three

In article ,
"Nikki" wrote:

Dr Steve wrote:

It is possible a different dentist may have better luck, but don't
count on it given the history. If you try another dentist, make sure
that dentist has the chance to gain the child's trust prior to trying
to fix any teeth. That often means you get to pay to have the child's
teeth cleaned again. Often it means you get to pay for a whole series
of minor little appointments designed solely to gain the child's
trust.

I've not responded before since Hunter has not needed dental work and was
fine with exams and cleaning. One thing I did do was take him when I got my
teeth cleaned before we went. Like you suggested that visit (as well as his
the following week) was just another errand on our agenda, no special
comments were made. We had a family dentist so it was the same guy.

Clearly the OP's child is very anxious (which I image some kids just are, I
don't think my second son is going to respond quite as well as my first just
knowing his personality) but if anyone else in her family needs dental work
(and is not anxious about it) it might benifit him to go along.

I wish her little guy good luck. Cleanings and exams area walk in the part
compared to actual work I imagine.

--
Nikki
Mama to Hunter (4) and Luke (2)



One of the things I did was never discuss the dentist with my kids, and
make DH responsible for their dental care.

I hate dentists. And dental hygenists and technicians. All of them.
Passionately. (Well, not the people, really, just seeing them
professionally.) I try to see a dentist once a decade or so whether I
need it or not. I am terrified of all of it. Yes, I'm trying to get
over it -- but I was afraid I'd communicate my own fear and loathing to
my kids.

It seemed to work; none of my kids hates going to the dentist, and now
that they are old enough to understand how *I* feel they find my phobia
rather amusing.

meh
--
Children won't care how much you know until they know how much you care

Mary Elliott writes:

Besides the doctor or dentist working on you,
there should be an anesthetist constantly monitoring
you until you regain consciousness.

You worry too damned much!

Not at all. Any type of general anesthesia requires at least a heart
and blood-pressure monitor, and constant surveillance, plus equipment
for emergency resuscitation if required. Careless use of central
anesthetics like nitrous oxide is quite hazardous.

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Wendy Marsden writes:

I had previously asked the dentist if he could do
unscented, apparently he couldn't.

The smell is the nitrous oxide itself. It has a distinct odor, although
it's not really that unpleasant. There's no way to produce "unscented"
nitrous oxide.

What's not clear to me is what happens if we don't get these cavities
filled for months or years.

They are baby teeth, they'll fall out either way. My parents spent a
lot of money on restoration of those teeth in my case, and they lost the
investment when they fell out. Of course you don't want infections or
things like that.



--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

"Mxsmanic" wrote .....................
They are baby teeth, they'll fall out either way. ..........

Ka-ching

carabelli P.A.

carabelli writes:

Ka-ching

?

--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

Mxsmanic wrote:

carabelli writes:

Ka-ching

?

He still has one of dem old cash registers.

Steve



--
Transpose hotmail and mxsmanic in my e-mail address to reach me directly.

--
Mark & Steven Bornfeld DDS
Brooklyn, NY
718-258-5001
http://www.dentaltwins.com

Wendy Marsden wrote:

I conclude now that the freaking out was to the sensation of the mask
experience (and maybe flashbacks to his traumatic hospitalization a year
ago) and not a reaction to the drug itself.

Sounds reasonable.

We have an introductory meeting set up for Friday with a new dentist.
We've talked this guy up to our kid, explaining that he is our response to
the kid's fear of the other situation.

Explain to the kid that the other dentist will NEVER be seen
again.

I'm planning on talking to this dentist about prescribing a sedative to
use before restoration work and NOT using nitrous oxide.

Yes ... kids who have had major hospitalization can have a bad
case of "white coat phobia" for months or years afterwards.

Tsu Dho Nimh

--
When businesses invoke the "protection of consumers," it's a lot like
politicians invoking morality and children - grab your wallet and/or
your kid and run for your life.