Latest Trustworthy News from Dr. Mercola - delivered straight to your inbox!
st patricks sale st patricks sale

Sedating Kids for Dental Procedures Under Scrutiny

  • July 11, 2017

A tide of tragic deaths involving children undergoing dental procedures while sedated has the American Academy of Pediatrics demanding changes in pediatric dental practices, Today reports. A California-based dental consultant commented that “many young children are being over-treated by their dentists,” adding that sedation makes overtreatment more likely. In response, Today offered nine questions parents should ask before allowing their children to have dental procedures.

A recent study shows that medical errors kill an estimated 250,000 Americans each year, confirming that modern medicine is still the third leading cause of death in the U.S. — and apparently, pediatric dentistry is contributing to these numbers. And, whether you’re an adult or a parent of a child undergoing a potential procedure of any kind, I agree: You should always ask questions about the need for the procedure, what will happen during the procedure and what qualifications the doctor has for performing the procedure. If you’re not satisfied with the answers, always seek a second opinion.

When it comes to children and dentistry, you also need to question what products the dentist is planning to put in your child’s mouth. Always demand mercury-free dentistry from your dentist — or get a new dentist. The amalgam that some dentists still insist on putting in your and your children’s mouth is a primitive, pre-Civil War pollutant that damages your teeth, whereas the alternatives are non-polluting, non-toxic and tooth-friendly.

Dental amalgam releases neurotoxic mercury vapor into your body, and children, the unborn and the hypersensitive are especially vulnerable to the toxic effects of mercury. Just as dangerous is the fluoride that most dentists not only recommend, but often prescribe in tablet form for your children — a toxic substance that is now the cause of 57 percent of youth ages 6 to 19 years having fluorosis of their teeth.