What to Expect After Your Child’s Dental Treatment Under General Anesthesia

What to Expect After Your Child’s Dental Treatment Under General Anesthesia

When your child undergoes dental treatment with general anesthesia, it’s important to know what to expect and how to care for them afterward. Here’s a simple guide for parents:

What to Expect Right After Anesthesia
1. Sleepiness and Movement: Your child will be drowsy at first. They may start to move their hands or feet as they wake up, and they might cough or shiver a little — this is all normal.
2. Crying or Confusion: It’s common for children to cry or seem confused for about 10–20 minutes as they fully wake up. Just talk to them gently, say their name, and reassure them.
3. Numbness and No Pain: They won’t feel pain due to strong medication, but their mouth will be numb. Watch that they don’t bite their lips, cheeks, or tongue.

At-Home Care Instructions
         4.     Food and Drink: Do not force your child to eat or drink. Once they ask, offer cold, soft foods and water. After their first drink or meal, you can start the medications prescribed After their first drink or meal, you can start the medications prescribed by the dentist.
5. Rest and Supervision: Your child may still feel sleepy during the day. That’s completely normal. However, an adult should stay with them the entire day. Don’t let them sleep alone in a room because their balance might still be off.
6. Activity Restrictions: No swimming, running, biking, or any sports that day, even if they seem fully awake.
7. Oral Care: On the first night, they can gently brush their teeth without toothpaste. From the next day onward, they can resume normal oral hygiene.
8. Recovery: By the following day, most children are completely back to normal routines.

When to Call Us
Call NexGen Dentistry at 619-552-3200 if your child has severe pain, difficulty breathing, excessive bleeding, or fever.

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