Tooth out then straight back to school?

[elliejjtiny]

Seems a bit mean to me but that's what the dentist said. 15 year old is having his impacted baby tooth removed with the numbing injection and gas and air. It just seems really harsh to me to send him straight back to school. But I've already had a letter this term as my younger child's attendance isn't good so I'm a bit nervous about keeping him off school longer than necessary.

What time is the appointment?

I would keep him off after it

If you possibly can, get an appointment after afternoon registration. Then technically they are not absent that day. Getting those two registers ticked is all the school cares about.

Yes to this. Or an appointment just before lunch, back to school for the ten mins of afternoon registration, then oops this is more painful than expected perhaps I will.need to go home after all (while you wait in the car!).

Thanks. Appointment is at 10:30. We have been waiting over a year for this so I didn't feel like we could be too picky about timings. His original dentist said he should have it done under general anaesthetic so I was already worried when the specialist dentist said she would take it out with just gas and air and injection.

It’s a pretty minor procedure. A 10.30 appointment - he should be able to go back to school by lunchtime.

After just a normal extraction, I was told to keep her home until bleeding was stopped. So about an hour. (We timed it for arriving 5 mins before a lesson rather than halfway through.)

I would play it by ear to be honest. He might be fine once the bleeding stops, or he might feel quite woozy. It's an invasive procedure and people react differently.

It’s not up to the dentist.

They might be making the point that he should be fine to go to school afterwards, but until the procedure is done you won’t know.

As a PP suggested, play it by ear. Make sure the school know what’s going on – show them any letters you have – I’m sure they would rather he was kept off than sent back to school feeling lightheaded or sick.

I took my DD back to school an hour or two after having a couple of teeth out as she was fine but the school turned us away in the reception and I felt really mean for trying to take her in!! They said they didn’t want her in in case of knocking her mouth and they said the risk was too great for them.

I had my tooth out yesterday and I couldn’t have went anywhere except home. It was very quick and easy but it was bleeding for hours, I had to keep changing the gauze they gave me. This wouldn’t have been very nice or hygienic to do around others.

Why is it up to the dentist?

I would ignore dentist and anyone sending useless letters. You´re the one with parental responsibility and it is your decision. I would keep him off, but that´s me. Play it by ear. You won´t know how he is until he has had the procedure. Half of my face was asleep, couldn´t talk properly and had to change the gauze they gave me several times.

I would not take a child to school after an extraction.
I’m a teacher and this term a child (Y3) arrived at school after having a tooth removed. Poor thing had to hold a cotton gauze in place as the wound kept bleeding. She wasn’t able to concentrate and looked miserable.

if it’s impacted that can be quite a tricky extraction, can feel but beaten up when the pain meds wear off. I wouldn’t send him back to school personally.

Single tooth? Local anesthetic? Back into class you go, sonny Jim.

Def keep him off the rest of the day. I had milk teeth extracted with general and it was painful afterwards

My 14 year old daughter was in a lot of pain afterwards and it can take a good 24 hours for the (albeit intermittent) bleeding to stop.

Mine is having 2 teeth out for his brace. He will not be in school that day

Agree with those saying to play it by ear, he may be fine straight after, he may not. I went straight to school after having a tooth removed when I was 14 but it wasn't impacted.

If he's swollen, dribbly and sore then he shouldn't be in that day. Let him relax at home while it heals up a bit.

I had impacted baby teeth removed as a child- and I couldn’t have gone to school that day. I also had an adult tooth exposed that was buried in my palate and I was off for the rest of the week, as it was so painful.

extractions also make me incredibly wobbly/ jittery - dentist said it’s a reaction to the local anaesthetic, combined with adrenaline

I’d keep him off

I always advise the school that I will bring child back if they feel well enough to do so. It’s a bit like a ‘watchful wait’ - I’m also assuming he hasn’t had this done before so you aren’t sure how he will be

The dentist isn't saying he has to go to school. He/She is saying there's no medical reason for h not to attend.
Like when the NHS says they can go back to school after 24hr on antibiotics... they are saying that's the exclusion period, not to drop your still ill child off.