Help with autistic daughter at dentist for sedation

[NOTSUREWHATIMDOINHERE]

Hello

11 year old needs 2 fillings, she cracked one of the teeth ages ago. Decay set in. Dentist just has to keep putting temp fillings in as waiting list ages for the sedation.

The sedation folk just called today asking us to come in for an assessment and asked if she would be able to be treated with the inhalation sedation as that's obviously what they prefer ( me too for her ) but I said I don't know. So in to see her and xrays on Thursday morning at the new place she had been referred to. Still be a long wait on sedation I've been told.

Any ideas on how to sort of get her to understand and tolerate the mask thing for the sedation?

She's a pda autistic. High anxiety. Let's dentist place temp fillings with lots of encouraging from her dentist who is good with her , but this will be new dentists.

My DD was meant to have gas but she couldn’t tolerate it, it only went in her nose and she didn’t like it, plus she just continued to breathe through her mouth so no use at all.

Watching

Hi, I could have written this post. My DD is 10. Undiagnosed by extremely high anxiety, almost certainly adhd and I would say autistic too, likely PDA. My other DC are also ADHD/PDA.

Anyway, we were referred for a filling as she wouldn't even open her mouth at the dentist, huge sensory issues with brushing her teeth etc. I was absolutely dreading the appointment as I thought her sensory issues and the "demands" of the dentist would make her entirely uncooperative and we'd be looking at a GA which she'd also fight.

Turned out to be nothing like that at all. Yes, she was distressed in the waiting room, but as soon as we went in it was clear that the dentist was extremely used to children like her and DD immediately took a shine to her. She talked her through everything and made it clear that she could stop anytime she wanted. DD sailed through the filling, no issues whatsoever. She looked calm, she was smiling and settled. She even coped when they put a coating on her teeth and there's absolutely no way she would manage that normally. As we left she said, I really like that lady. She did later tell me that she could taste the coating but it didn't upset her like it normally would. We've got a check up in December which she is actually looking forward too and they're going to discuss whether we will be seen there going forward, I really hope so.

I can understand your worry, I was terrified, but our experience was only positive. I hope all goes well.

I do these to help my patient prior or during sedation:

• Small nose mask to take home with them, get used to the smell, feel, and practice breathing through nose (essential to successful sedation)
• Recommend bringing headphones or something they like to listen to if they wish (or to reduce noise)
• A big box of sensory toys, fidget spinners etc (one the sedation kicks in, usually not needed).
• A light projector and dimmed lights (I use loupes with a headlight so I can work well in reduced light) really helps, and I let the patient pick what they light (eg. Zoo animals, jungle, peppa pig)

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