Conscious Sedation with Nitrous Oxide to control Stress during Dental Treatment in Patients with Cerebral Palsy: An Experimental Clinical Trial

Introduction Individuals with cerebral palsy (CP) often present with oral alterations that impact oral health and require dental treatment. Aim This study aimed to evaluate the use of conscious sedation with nitrous oxide (N2O) to control stress during dental treatment in individuals with CP using as parameters: Venham score (VS), heart rate (HR), and respiratory rate (RR). Materials and methods A total of 77 CP patients >3 years of age with a mean age of 11.8 (± 6.4) years were evaluated in a rehabilitation center. Stress control was measured at the following time points: T1 (presedation), T2 (induction), T3 (sedated patient), and T4 (end). Student's t-test, the Chi-squared test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the McNemar test were used. The significance level was 5%. Results Sedation ranged between 10 and 60% N2O, with an average of 35.6% (± 10.4). The RR did not vary among the times (p = 0.12). The HR and VS varied significantly between times (p < 0.001), as significantly higher values of HR were observed at T1. Conclusion Conscious sedation with N2O during dental care controls stress in CP patients, as verified by a decrease in HR, and does not promote respiratory depression. Higher concentrations of N2O are recommended for CP patients with tachycardia. Clinical significance Sedation modifies behavior during dental procedures, facilitating patient collaboration.How to cite this article: Baeder FM, Silva DF, de Albuquerque ACL, Santos MTBR. Conscious Sedation with Nitrous Oxide to control Stress during Dental Treatment in Patients with Cerebral Palsy: An Experimental Clinical Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2017;10(4):384-390.