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Is it dangerous to force a child into general anesthesia?

H

HeatherD

Junior member
Joined
Mar 2, 2012
Messages
2
I'll also post this in the kids' forum but I wanted to ask dentists this question directly. My 8 year old daughter has extreme anxiety about dental work. We took her to a dental office to have 7 fillings put in under general anesthesia but when she sat in the chair and that gas mask came at her, she freaked out. We had tried to be positive and prepare her, but she went crazy. She was crying and terrified when the anesthesiologist put the mask on. He seemed to want me to help hold it on her but she was too upset. We let her get up and take some deep breaths but then she wouldn't get back in the chair. My husband and I ended up trying to force her back into the chair--she was thrashing and screaming. It was HORRIBLE but at the moment I kept thinking that if we could just get some gas in her, she'd fall asleep and be fine. We tried for maybe ten minutes but she was too strong. The dentist and anesthesiologist were standing there the whole time, offering no other alternatives. It was a horrible experience. A day later, I am furious that these "professionals" didn't offer other solutions and that they seemed to want us to force her into the chair. I really regret trying to do that. I'm afraid we've really scarred her. And now I also think that forcing a screaming, crying, terrified kid to undergo general anesthesia can't be safe. What if she threw up from the trauma or had throat spasms or something? I'm also angry because a year and a half earlier, she'd been under general for fillings but they gave her a shot in the arm first that knocked her out before using the general anesthesia. That way, she didn't have to deal with the mask. We switched to this dentist because he is a lot closer to us. I just didn't realize how important that shot would be. He doesn't offer it in his office. I feel strongly that no anesthesiologist should encourage parents to physically force a child into treatment. And he should have offered another option. We were also under pressure because general is very expensive and we had already paid a huge deposit. We may end up taking her to a hospital for the procedure since they can give her a shot to sedate her first. But she is already talking about how scared she is. Any advice? Thanks!
 
As a parent myself, although my children are adults now. I feel for you, kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place, I don't think you should dwell on the fact that you felt you had to treat your daughter in this way. I think the dentist you saw and everybody that was there sound as if they offered you no help whatsoever, disgusting on their part. Personally I would not force a child, I was scared as a child and was witness to my sister being forced and held down, it is a horrendous situation to be in both on your part and that of your daughter. I am 54 and to this day I can see my sister in that position as if it was yesterday, it is a very disturbing memory for me, never mind how she feels.

I don't think the dentist you saw should be treating children, you are not to blame, but I can imagine how you are feeling, you did what you thought was best, in your position I would cuddle your daughter up often and tell her that it will never happen that way again. I had to take my son when he was only 3 years old to have his two front teeth out because he had fallen off a bike. That was 25 years ago and the dentist at the time held the mask out of his sight down near his waist whilst the chair was only tipped slightly back, slowly he moved the mask towards his chin, all the time I was talking to my son, the dentist got near his mouth then near his nose and very slowly put it in place. This took time but I was so relieved my son was put to sleep with no trauma and woke up smiling and fine. I wasn't traumatised either as I know you must be.

Would it be possible to get a refund from the dentist and see someone else. By the way I am a dental phobic because of childhood experiences and so is my sister, but the GOOD NEWS is that both of us get treatment we need, with different dentists so this situation can be resolved for you and your daughter with the right dentist and treatment of your daughter. It is possible to help her build up a trust and not be so upset.

I really wish you well in finding a way to help your daughter and I feel so sorry for you, as well as her to have been put through this, it makes me so mad that their are still dentists that think this is okay.

I would really like to know how you get on with this if you feel you could share with us on here.
Best wishes
 
You tried for 10 minutes and it still didn't work????? Are you sure this was proper GA and not just low-level nitrous oxide they were using?

Don't beat yourselves up about it, the professionals let you down basically. Ideally a child is put under GA atraumatically, in an atmosphere of calm.

I'm guessing you are in the States, in which case you are to be congratulated for keeping her clear of 'papoose boards' and unethical corporate kids dentistry.

Are you sure there is no way you can find her a dentist with painfree techniques (ie injections are painfree) who can just do the fillings a couple at a time? That way she keeps control and can cope in future.
They used to use a crude in-chair gas mask GA in UK in 1960s, I had it forced on me once (minimal force involved)....just scooped up and it was pressed on....thing is if it's working properly you go under really quickly, you are powerless to resist. I can't begin to understand what happened in your daughter's case. (NB My dental issues do not relate to this GA experience rather to refusal of LA when awake.)

If she still wants to be put out, rather than to retain control by being awake and having stop signals, you are correct that i/v is a better method unless needles are an issue.
I would debrief it all with her, apologise, give her some options. She is 8. She can be reasoned with. She can even interview a couple of dentists and choose her own for treatment while awake. It could be that after the experience, she would rather stay awake. Don't assume. Ask her.
Don't worry you have loads of credit in the parental bank - you are allowed to overdraw your account occasionally without causing harm to your long-term relationship of trust.
 
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Brit has made some great points. I would also say that it is completely possible for a child to have fillings without sedation - with the right kind of dentist who they trust and who puts them in control. This also allows them to experience positive dental visits from an early age, so that they can discover for themselves that with the right dentist, there's nothing to be worried about and that it's a normal part of life.

Giving her the choice is a good idea; she needs to know that she has options available. Maybe explain that she's a big girl now and so she can decide whether she has the fillings with sedation or without sedation, but with a nice dentist who won't hurt her and who will take time to be gentle and to listen.

Trust and a sense of control are hugely important here. Perhaps you could find a couple of dentists that you like the look of, contact them and explain what happened and see what they can do to help. There are all sorts of techniques that can be used with kids to help them feel calmer and more in control of the situation including things like Tell Show Do and rest breaks and counting.

Maybe arrange an appointment to meet the dentist, just for a chat and nothing else (unless she feels comfortable for them to have a look at her mouth). Allow the dentist to reassure your daughter about how treatment can be carried out without pain or fear. If either you or your daughter don't feel comfortable with the dentist when you meet them, keep searching until you find someone you do feel comfortable with.

Sometimes dentists focus more on talking to the parents rather than building up a relationship with the child themselves. As a child, you trust your parents to keep you safe from harm. Ideally a child should be able to trust their dentist too. These kinds of dentists do exist and it is possible... honestly :).
 
You tried for 10 minutes and it still didn't work????? Are you sure this was proper GA and not just low-level nitrous oxide they were using?
They used to use a crude in-chair gas mask GA in UK in 1960s, I had it forced on me once (minimal force involved)....just scooped up and it was pressed on....thing is if it's working properly you go under really quickly, you are powerless to resist. I can't begin to understand what happened in your daughter's case.
I'm surprised/confused by this too. I had GA for an extraction when I was about 8/9. I was very apprehensive, but trusted my parents, and generally still felt that all adults could be trusted to look after me! So I started off the appointment doing as I was told, though scared; got in the chair, and lay down. I remember being asked to close my eyes, and think of my favourite TV programme, which I did. Then I felt/smelt the mask being put over my nose, immediately opened my eyes and fought back! :scared: :devilish: I remember thinking, "Do they really think I'm stupid enough that just because I've got my eyes closed and I'm imagining a cartoon that I wouldn't notice them sticking this thing on me?!" :rolleyes: lol

However, that's pretty much the last thing I remember, because the GA took its effect, and under I went. I know they did have to give me quite a lot because I was resisting so much, and that meant they had difficulties waking me up afterwards (not that I was in any danger at all, just I took much longer than normal to come round). But it must only have been a matter of seconds, or perhaps a minute or two at absolute most, while I was struggling, then I was asleep. As Brit says - powerless to resist (and, believe me, I was trying!). In other words, based on my experience, what happened to your daughter shouldn't have happened.

Just as a point of perspective, whilst it's not a happy memory for me, it has no bearing on how I feel about my parents. I can't remember now if they were involved with trying to stop me resisitng etc, or if it was just the hospital team doing that, but at the very least my parents were there and allowing it to happen, not coming to my aid etc. Yet the experience had no impact on my love for or trust in them whatsoever, neither at the time nor in retrospect. This is definitely true:
Don't worry you have loads of credit in the parental bank - you are allowed to overdraw your account occasionally without causing harm to your long-term relationship of trust.

You obviously love your daughter very much and want to care for and protect her, and children can sense that. I hope you can find a way forward for her now - the others have given some good advice (I personally think IV sedation could be the way to go, but definitely the best suggestion is to ask her what she wants). It sounds like her previous experience of receiving dental work was a positive one, so it may help to remind her of this, and stress that what happened this time was a one-off, and not something you're going to allow to happen again.

Your daughter is blessed to have parents like yourself and your husband, who are so concerned about doing what's best for her.
 
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Gosh--thanks to all of your for responding to my post!! I should explain that they did not have the mask on her for 10 minutes. Once she was in the chair, the Dr. put the mask on pretty quickly and she resisted right away. He tried to make it a game but as soon as she smelled that gas, she really freaked. She was already crying and then felt like she would throw up. So, it was half on for maybe 20-30 secs and the Dr. said it takes 1-2 mins. to take effect. I maybe should have held it on her at the point because she might have gotten groggy but she was really crying and resisting. So we let her get up and try to calm down. She went to the bathroom down the hall and then we tried to wrestle her back into the chair--that's what took 10 minutes. Anyway, we've made an appt. with a Dr. we used before who can do an injection in the office to sedate her and then use the IV sedation. She will probably also be a bit scared of this but it worked before and it's much easier to get in her. She'd didn't like the dizzy, woozy feeling the shot gave her last time but I think she'll be much happier to not have a mask over her face. I wish she were ready to be awake during the fillings but she is incredibly defensive and weird about anything in her mouth. She won't even take any kind of oral medication whatsoever. I think it may be some kind of oral defensiveness condition. Anyway, thanks for your kind words. I've told this dentist that he needs to get better at treating kids with true anxiety. And I also gave the anesthesiologist an earful. Hope to have better news to report after our next appointment. Really appreciate the support!! Cheers, Heather
 
It's nice to hear from you again, I think you know your daughter and you did right telling the dentist off.
I used to hate that smell when I was a child, it is a frightening smell, and it does make you feel sick. I have a thing about taking tablets and anything to do with my mouth and throat as well so I have some understanding of how she might feel.
Part of my fear is actually being sick and she could be the same, so if the gas makes her feel like that she may be afraid of being sick.

I also hate feeling woozy, but if it's woozy or feeling sick, I'll take woozy any time. I think you have dealt with it wonderfully, what a lucky little girl to have such understanding parents.
I wish you and your husband all the best for the next appointment, I hope it all goes well for you all, hopefully your daughter will be happier this time round. I look forward to reading how it goes.

Don't listen to the so called experts, you know best. You are the experts in knowing your daughter.

All the best.

By the way I am over 50 and a mother.
 
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