Call us today on: 020 7580 5370
Weymouth Street Paediatric Dentistry, 33 Weymouth Street, London, W1G 7BY

Our goal at Weymouth Street Paediatric Dentistry is to provide our young patients with the safest, most pain-free treatments possible. In some cases, reducing discomfort requires our dental practitioners to use local anaesthesia to control pain. We have the training and expertise to offer local anaesthesia to our patients safely with minimal pain and discomfort.

We know that some kids may fear the dentist, the loud noise of our tools or the pain they expect from dental work. Before any procedure, we do our best to alleviate patient concerns and make them feel comfortable. Our team provides the dental care children need, especially when they require dental procedures that involve local anaesthesia.

What is Local Anaesthesia?

A simple and effective method of reducing a child’s pain during dental treatment is with local anaesthesia. Dentists inject local anaesthesia into the treatment site, which causes the temporary loss of sensation, including pain. Generally, neuron impulses send signals of pain to the brain. However, local anaesthesia inhibits the rush of sodium needed to generate this impulse, enabling our dentists to treat our paediatric patients without much fuss. 

Numbing a small area with local anaesthesia keeps patients alert and awake throughout the procedure. Many of our dental treatments can be safely and painlessly administered while children remain awake. Keeping children relaxed and calm throughout treatment helps ensure the success of the procedure. Using local anaesthesia on children helps keep their fear and anxiety at bay, and promotes a more positive attitude for future dental procedures. 

The Difference Between Local and General Anaesthesia

Local anaesthesia ensures that our patients stay conscious throughout a procedure. There is a one-time injection to the treatment site to numb the area. It’s quite safe, with rare and minor side effects and complications. In many cases, local anaesthesia is a sufficient means of pain control.

General anaesthesia sedates patients, keeping them unconscious during treatment. This type of anaesthesia is more common in major dental operations. With general anaesthesia, dentists administer sedatives through a mask or an IV placed in the vein. Patients going under general sedation need to be monitored both during and after the procedure. After the medication wears off, it can cause side effects including nausea, vomiting or chills. 

Reasons We May Recommend Putting a Child Under Anaesthesia for Dental Work

We always want your child’s oral health to be in the best possible condition. If we notice issues with a child’s mouth and gums, we’ll recommend swift action to ensure the condition doesn’t worsen. When it comes to certain treatments, we’ll advise a child to undergo local anaesthesia to numb the pain, so we can repair any damage.

Instances where local anaesthesia may be required include:

  • Restorative and surgical procedures
  • Major dental procedures, such as dental extractions
  • Areas of dental pain or infection
  • Treatments where there are several areas to fix
  • Preventing discomfort that comes with placing a rubber dam clamp or preparing the tooth for treatment

Some procedures require children to lie completely still, and local anaesthesia makes it easier for them to do so comfortably. If parents or guardians have any concerns or questions about local anaesthesia for their child, please let us know prior to commencing treatment.

Weymouth’s use of Local Anaesthesia for Paediatric Dental Treatments

Our team of highly qualified dental professionals are trained to provide anaesthesia safely. Before injecting the area, we select the proper dosage based on a child’s body weight. We will use age-appropriate terminology to explain to children what to expect before proceeding. As with all of our procedures, we want our patients to have a positive experience. Part of their experience comes from knowing what we are doing.

At the treatment site, we apply a topical anaesthesia, which takes a moment to numb the area. The topical anaesthesia makes it more comfortable for us to inject the local anaesthesia. This creates a bit of pressure sensation during the injection, but no pain.

Often children are not too affected by administration of the local anaesthetic, however, they may dislike the sensation of numbness. In younger children, it is common for them to describe the feeling as “tingly” or sometimes pain. The tingly feeling is felt when the tooth is first anaesthetised, and it lasts for 10 to 15 minutes. Your child will experience this feeling again when the anaesthetic starts wearing off approximately 2 to 3 hours later.

Caring for a Child After Local Anaesthesia

We recommend that young children be supervised while they have a numb mouth. Parents should prevent them from traumatising their lips or cheeks by biting, or by scratching with their fingernail. If they bite the numb area, this can lead to swelling of the lip or cheek. When this happens, it can take 3 to 5 days to heal. 

Should children seem concerned about the feeling in their mouth, reassure them that it is only temporary. If they are hungry while the area is still numb, offer them something soft, such as yogurt, pudding or warm (but not hot) soup. 

It is normal for the injection site to be a little sore after treatment. In some patients with extra sensitivity, the injection site may cause too much discomfort. For these patients, parents can give them over-the-counter pain medications if it is required. 

Questions About Local Anaesthesia?

We’re happy to address any questions you have about local anaesthesia for children. Please feel free to contact our paediatric dental practice at 0202 580 5370 or email [email protected]


   Our Address

33 Weymouth Street, London, W1G 7BY

View Larger Map


   Opening Hours

Monday - Friday

8:30am - 5:00pm

Saturday - Sunday

Closed


   Make an appointment with us today!