Sedating Young Children For Dental Work Should Be a Last Resort

Going to the dentist isn't known as a favorite past time for many grown ups, and for children the idea is likely terrifying, but according to the NY Times, there are concerns among dentist that other colleagues are using sedation and anesthesia as a profit-making tools. A study conducted by the University of Washington revealed details surrounding 44 cases over the last 30 years where patients died after sedation or general anesthesia for dental work. Most of those patients were two to five years old. Because a child under the age of six doesn't have as much of an oxygen reserve in their blood as older children or adults, their bodies can’t compensate for short lapses in oxygen, making it a dangerous and even deadly options when doing dental procedures on children.