Post-sedation events in children sedated for dental care

Moderate oral sedation is used in pediatric dentistry for safe delivery of dental care to children. However, there is a paucity of data on the effects of pediatric dental sedations after discharge of children from the dental office. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the incidence of adverse events occurring with meperidine and hydroxyzine versus midazolam alone 8 and 24 hours after sedation in pediatric dental patients. In this prospective study, a convenience sample of 46 healthy children presenting to a private pediatric dental practice for dental treatment needs was selected. A telephone survey of the parents of children sedated with either meperidine and hydroxyzine or midazolam alone was conducted 8 and 24 hours after the administration of sedation medications. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, frequency and proportion analysis, and Fisher exact test. Forty children were sedated with meperidine and hydroxyzine, and 6 who were sedated with midazolam. In both groups, 50% of the children slept in the car on the way home. Three children in the meperidine and hydroxyzine group vomited in the car. A significantly larger proportion of children in the meperidine and hydroxyzine group experienced prolonged sleep at home (P = .015). More children in the midazolam group exhibited irritability in the first 8 hours (P = .07). There were no statistical differences between the 2 groups with respect to incidence of pain, fever, vomiting, sleeping in the car, snoring, and difficulty in waking up. The lingering effects of orally administered sedation medications can lead to prolonged sleep, irritability, and vomiting in children after they have been discharged from the dental clinic. Most of these events occurred within the first 8 hours, but in some children the effects were seen up to 24 hours later.