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Effect of passive smoke exposure on general anesthesia for pediatric dental patients

S Thikkurissy1, Bethany Crawford, Judith Groner

  • 1The Ohio State University College of Dentistry, Columbus, OH, USA. thikkurissy.1@osu.edu

Anesthesia Progress
|December 18, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure did not increase adverse respiratory events in children undergoing dental restorative procedures under general anesthesia. However, ETS-exposed children experienced longer recovery times.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Environmental Health
  • Respiratory Medicine

Background:

  • Environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure is a known risk factor for respiratory issues in children.
  • The impact of ETS on respiratory events during and after general anesthesia for dental procedures is not well-established.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if children with ETS exposure have a higher likelihood of adverse respiratory events during or recovering from general anesthesia for early childhood caries treatment.
  • To test the null hypothesis of no increased risk of respiratory events in ETS-exposed children.

Main Methods:

  • Parents of 99 children (19 months-12 years) undergoing dental restorative procedures under general anesthesia were interviewed about ETS exposure.
  • Children were monitored during and after anesthesia by a dentist anesthesiologist and postanesthesia care unit nurse.
  • Severity of six types of adverse respiratory events was recorded: coughing, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, breath holding, hypersecretion, and airway obstruction.

Main Results:

  • Children with reported ETS exposure were significantly older than those without (P=.03).
  • No significant differences in adverse respiratory outcomes were observed between ETS-exposed and non-exposed groups.
  • ETS-exposed children had significantly longer recovery times (P<.0001) despite similar caries severity and procedure durations.

Conclusions:

  • Environmental tobacco smoke exposure is not a significant predictor of post-general anesthesia respiratory morbidity in children undergoing treatment for early childhood caries.
  • While ETS did not increase immediate respiratory complications, it was associated with prolonged recovery periods.
  • Further research may explore the specific mechanisms behind longer recovery times in ETS-exposed children.

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