Sedation Dentistry and Breastfeeding

Sedation dentistry is an amazingly easy way to take care of your dental needs in one easy visit! Many of our patients choose to get their dental work done under conscious sedation for many reasons including fear of dentists or time constraints. The way conscious sedation works, is you take a prescribed medication the night before and day of your appointment, someone brings you to our office, we administer nitrous oxide and you doze off into a “Twilight Sleep” or “La La Land!” Then we do our work getting your mouth healthy and beautiful, someone takes you home and you wake up with all your work done. The best part is you got some really good sleep and you don’t usually remember us working on you at all! Amazing isn’t it?

With Sedation Dentistry, there is some information we would like our nursing mothers to know while deciding if sedation dentistry is the way they want to go.

Can I Breastfeed After Taking Triazolam?

We applaud your efforts to provide the best start for your child! Nursing has been shown to help with the development of the jaw and mouth muscles as well as strengthen teeth! However, we do not recommend breastfeeding for a period of 24 hours after the last dose of triazolam. And, we remind families that the nursing mother should not “cuddle up” and take a nap with the nursling. Triazolam is a sedative and can diminish your abilities to fully meet your child’s needs.

What Can I Do To Prepare For This Period?

The first type of preparation we advise is preparing to feed the nursling during this time. Depending on how often the child nurses, you will need to pump and freeze.* Generally speaking, an infant requires 50 calories per pound of their weight each day. (A 10-pound baby requires 500 calories.) Breast milk contains 20-22 calories per ounce. You will need to supply 2 and a half ounces of milk per pound for your baby. (A 10-pound baby will require 30 ounces of milk.) Please keep in mind that babies react differently to new situations. You baby may eat more or less than this amount.
Plan ahead! Although some mothers can express several ounces very quickly, most mothers will require some time to set aside the necessary reserves.
It is vital that you protect your future supply and prevent infection! While unable to nurse, continue to pump every 2-3 hours. This milk should be discarded and not saved for future use. Be sure to stay well hydrated to assist the medication in evacuating your system.
Your child may feel anxiety at the disruption of their normal schedule. Please plan for there emotional needs as well. Practically speaking, you will not be able to be the sole provider of their care while you are recovering yourself. Be sure a familiar loved one is available for snuggling, singing, and playing games with your child.

Why Is It Recommended That I Not Nurse?

The short answer to that question is that sedatives, which triazolam is, are not recommended for children under 3 years of age. There are no formal or informal studies available for review. Although, only a very small amount will be available to pass through the breast milk, there is no way to know what dosage is safe for a child or infant to ingest. We do know that sedatives can cause respiratory distress in children under 3 years of age. The distress requires immediate attention or can be fatal. Because of the lack of data and severity of the known risk factors, we advise that you do not nurse for a period no less than 24 hours after your last dose. Plan ahead-pump.
*For more information on freezing breast milk or breast feeding please consult your physician, a lactation consult or a representative of the La Leche League.

At Grove City Dental, we want our moms to have 100% healthy mouths with the best option for long term care and a gorgeous smile! While we always want to put our babies first, we have to realize that in order to properly take care of them, we must be healthy too! Healthy includes our mouths. Many infections and diseases start in the mouth and can lead to more serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes!

For more information on Sedation Dentistry visit our website www.SedationDentistryGroveCity.com

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