Safe Local Anesthesia for Pain-Free Dental Care

Is your little one extra fearful of the dentist? It’s ok!

At KidCo, we provide the kid-friendliest dental care in town, from our bright, cheerful office to our gentle procedures and seriously nice staff. But we know that some children may find the experience of a dental visit to be extra scary.

For those kids, we offer a variety of sedation dental options, to keep your child calm during their office visits.

Gentle Dentistry with Nitrous Oxide: “Laughing Gas” Can Help Soothe Your Child

Nitrous Oxide, also known as “laughing gas,” is a safe, mild form of sedation that can be breathed in to induce a calming, relaxing effect.

A combination of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen, breathed in through a tube, can reduce anxiety, lower a hyperactive gag reflex, and increase your child’s tolerance for discomfort. The gas is eliminated very quickly from the body, and there are no lasting effects.

Nitrous gas is approved for children’s dentistry by all major American medical and dental associations, including the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics. It is considered the safest form of dentistry sedative.

It is not used as a general anesthetic, and it does not put children to sleep. Local anesthesia may be used in addition for certain procedures.

After inhaling a Nitrous Oxide/Oxygen blend, your child may feel drowsy or warm, or feel sensations of euphoria (hence the name “laughing gas”!). Their feet and hands may tingle a bit. If your child is anxious about the experience, our friendly staff are experienced in helping children understand the process and soothing their fear.

Nitrous Oxide is used for any regular dental procedure during your child’s visit. If you think your child would benefit from this relaxing sedative during their care, let our KidCo staff know and we will be happy to accommodate you!

Safe Local Anesthesia for Easy, Pain-Free Dental Care

For certain procedures, we use local anesthesia to provide a pain-free, comfortable experience for your child. Local anesthesia is used to numb a particular area before treatment to reduce pain. We use local anesthesia during more involved procedures such as cavity filling, root canals, or pulp therapy.

Local anesthesia is entirely safe, wears off within hours, and causes no lasting effects. It is administered only by trained dental professionals and your child will be carefully supervised throughout treatment. Local anesthesia is considered safe for use in pediatric dentistry by all major dental and medical associations.

We use lidocaine gel to numb the injection site and make anesthesia application comfortable. After the procedure is over, your child’s mouth will feel numb for several more hours, and may tingle when sensation begins to come back. Limit food intake directly after treatment as children may have difficulty chewing or swallowing while the area is numb.

Safety and Smiles Go Hand in Hand!

At KidCo, we are committed to kid-friendly dental care that parents love too. We take your child’s health extremely seriously, and we provide a safe, clean, carefully-regulated office to keep your children safe and smiling at the same time.

Our dentists are all dedicated pediatric specialists, with training specifically in caring for the littlest smiles. Our staff are thoroughly trained and up-to-date on all contemporary best practices.

We maintain strict sterility in our treatment area, and clean all surfaces, instruments, and tools regularly for rigid infection control.

Your children’s smiles are in good hands with KidCo Pediatric Dentistry!