Sedation Dentistry
Helping anxious children feel calm, relaxed, and safe.
Some children feel nervous about dental care - and that’s completely normal. Our gentle sedation options help kids stay calm, relaxed, and comfortable throughout their visit. With a caring approach and close monitoring, we ensure your child feels secure and supported every step of the way. This positive experience builds trust and confidence for future visits.
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Serena Yu, Lead Paediatric Dentist at Starlight Dental. A.B. Brown University (USA), DMD Tufts University (USA), Paediatric Dentistry NYU Langone (USA)
Why It’s Important
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Reduces Anxiety
Helps children who feel nervous or scared stay calm and relaxed, making their visit a more positive experience from start to finish.
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Supports Complex Treatment
Allows longer or more detailed dental care to be done safely and comfortably in one visit, without stress or fear.
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Safe & Closely Monitored
Every sedation option is chosen carefully and supervised by trained professionals to keep your child completely safe and comfortable.
Sedation options for children
From nitrous oxide (laughing gas), through to general anaesthesia for children who need more support to get through a longer or more involved procedure, we match the option to the child, the procedure, and how anxious they are. Nitrous oxide helps in decreasing pain and anxiety in a conscious (awake) patient. It’s also used for longer procedures, to instil a positive attitude towards dental treatment, in very young children, or kids with additional needs who find it hard to stay still. It is not only for anxious children, and we’ll always start with the gentlest option that works.
Is sedation safe for kids at the dentist
Yes, completely. For treatment under general anaesthesia, we work closely with highly skilled anaesthesiologists. The patient is monitored the whole way through, heart rate, oxygen levels, and responsiveness are tracked for the entire visit by trained staff.
What to expect before and after
We’ll give you clear instructions beforehand, such as fasting times if general anaesthesia is used. Afterwards, children are usually drowsy or a little unsteady for a few hours, nothing to be concerned about, we simply ask parents to plan for a quiet rest of the day and skip school or strenuous activity. For treatment with nitrous oxide, the recovery is fast (generally around 5 minutes), so normal activities may be continued after treatment.
FAQs
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Yes, it’s screened, carefully measured for their age and weight, and monitored throughout by trained staff.
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It wears off within minutes of removing the mask.
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Nitrous oxide can be used in the dental clinic to help make dental treatment more tolerable. It’s onset is fast (2-3 minutes) and wears off almost immediately. General anaesthesia is performed in the operating theatre, and used when a child needs extensive dental care which may not be tolerated in the dental clinic, has severe anxiety, or special health care needs.
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With nitrous oxide, usually yes, though calmly. With general anaesthesia, memory of the visit is often hazy or absent.