Are you looking for a pediatric dentist that can help your child overcome dental anxiety? Here are the top benefits of sedation dentistry for children.

1. It Offers Choice

There are different types of sedation dentistry, which means it isn't a one size fits all approach. That allows you plenty of opportunities to find the right fit for your child. 

Sedation choices include:

• Laughing gas (nitrous oxide) 
• An oral sedative (triazolam or diazepam)
• Intravenous (IV sedation)

You can try oral or gas if you have a child who doesn't respond well to an injection. Conversely, some children have high levels of anxiety when faced with the prospect of a gas mask (e.g., if they've had prior general anesthesia).



The benefit of sedation is that you can sidestep these issues with your child and empower them to choose the best sedation type for their specific needs. 

2. It Helps Manage Dental Anxiety

Dental phobias often manifest themselves as lifelong anxiety disorders. For adults, that can have a detrimental effect on oral health as it might lead you to avoid dental treatment altogether.

So any sign of anxiety in children is worth addressing early on to manage and reduce it. That will help them achieve good long-term dental health and a trusted relationship with their dental practitioner.



Sedation is a fantastic tool for dental anxiety relief as it helps to get the patient into a physiologically relaxed state, including deep breathing and a reduced heart rate. It will help prevent your child from panicking before or during the treatment.

3. Quicker Dental Procedures

If a patient is anxious, it can often lead to a more extended procedure. For example, settling the patient during the preparation stage might take time. That's undoubtedly common with nervous children.

It also means the procedure itself can take a little longer than planned. A patient may move around in the chair or show discomfort, during which the dentist might pause before the next phase of the treatment.

In general, this often leaves the patient having a more negative experience. Not only will they feel anxious, but they'll experience that discomfort for a more extended period.

That's why sedation is often a great choice, especially for children. It means the patient settles quickly and will find the dentist has completed the treatment surprisingly fast.



The child will leave the sedation with little awareness of what happened during the procedure and a sense that the entire dental experience was fast and uneventful. 

4. Manage the Gag Reflex

The gag reflex is a typical response in patients when a dentist examines the back of the mouth. It is something that often happens with young children.

The gag reflex, though common, can make a dental treatment feel uncomfortable for children. And in some cases, it could make them reluctant to visit the dentist in the future for checkups or further treatment. 

Sedation is an excellent way to help children avoid that gag reflex during an examination or treatment.

Children are unaware of those sensations in the mouth, which will give the dentist a better opportunity to thoroughly examine all areas of the mouth for cavities or infections. 



It also lowers the risk of damage and minor injuries inside a patient's mouth from gagging while a dentist is conducting an examination. 

5. It Reduces Pain

A dentist will use local anesthetics to manage pain during a dental procedure. However, sedation can also help reduce pain before, during, and after your child's dental treatment.

That's because sedation blocks the pain messages from nerve endings to the brain. So it will comfort the patient from the start of the sedation treatment. 



Managing pain is one of the most important tasks of a dental practice when handling children's treatments. You want your child to be comfortable throughout the treatment and avoid distress. Sedation is a way for you to achieve that. 

6. It Aids Complex Procedures

Suppose the dentist has to perform a complex and intricate procedure. In that case, they need the patient to be as still as possible when lying in the dental chair.

However, this is a lot to ask of children. Even children who do not suffer from dental anxiety may find it challenging to sit motionless for a prolonged time.

Sedation will help ensure the dentist has the best chance of completing a procedure accurately, minimizing the risk of follow-up surgery or complications.



They will also have time to check their work without the pressure of a patient showing signs of discomfort.

7. It Helps Relieve Parent Anxiety

You might feel apprehensive about your child attending a pediatric dental appointment as a parent.

No parent likes to see their child in pain or discomfort, and some parents find it difficult to see their child in distress from dental work such as drilling or injections. 

Unfortunately, children can often sense when their parents feel anxious. And if you are worried about a procedure, that can make your child more nervous about the dental treatment.



By choosing sedation, you have the added reassurance that your child will be comfortable and relaxed throughout the treatment. 

Sedation Dentistry

Dental treatment doesn't have to be scary for your child. An experienced dentist can compassionately manage even the most severe dental phobias in children. 

Sedation dentistry is the perfect choice for a child undergoing dental treatment. Perhaps you are searching for a reputable pediatric dentist in Tijuana, Mexico. If so, why not book a consultation with our team today?



We can do a checkup on your child and provide our recommended treatment plan. And we can discuss in detail what sedation options will work best if you have an anxious child.