Health
9-Year-Old Dies After Dental Procedure; Rare Anesthesia Reaction Blamed
For one elementary school youngster, what started out as a routine dental visit descended into tragedy. Through a fundraiser, her family has been able to honour her memory and provide her with a respectable funeral.
Silvanna Moreno, a nine-year-old from Southern California, reportedly passed away on March 18, 2025, a few hours after receiving dental treatment at Dreamtime Dentistry in Vista, California. Her cause of death has now been made public.
According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, she died from methemoglobinemia (MetHb) after receiving nitrous oxide recently. MetHb happens when haemoglobin is impacted by nitrous oxide, which lowers oxygen transport to tissues and results in hypoxia.
MetHb is an uncommon blood condition that affects the way red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Nearly all people with this disorder have skin, nails, or lips that become a characteristic shade of blue or purple, though not everyone has symptoms. The illness may be fatal in extreme circumstances.
Her autopsy revealed that Moreno had been referred for treatment in October 2024 due to tooth problems. She had a fever the day before the procedure, but Tylenol for kids helped it go away. She complained of a headache on the day of the procedure, but she showed no symptoms of discomfort.
After undergoing a three-hour treatment under anaesthesia at 10 a.m., she was transferred to a recovery room and eventually released. On the way home, Moreno seemed “out of it,” slept a lot, and was able to open her eyes and stand for a short while.
She slept for almost ninety minutes after getting home. Her grandmother checked her heart rate as her snoring became less loud. At 4:46 p.m., 911 was called after two checks yielded no response.
She was discovered in asystole at Rady Children’s Hospital after being taken there by emergency personnel. At 5:44 p.m., despite efforts at resuscitation, she was declared dead. When the heart’s electrical system malfunctions, it stops pumping, a condition known as asystole.
This disorder is sometimes referred to as “flat-line” or “flat-lining” because it results in an electrocardiogram showing a flat line representing the electrical activity of the heart.
In a response provided through a public relations agency, Dreamtime Dentistry’s board-certified dental anaesthesiologist, Dr. Ryan Watkins, who has over 20 years of paediatric experience, verified that Moreno had surgery that day.
In a statement he signed, he confirmed that the little girl’s death “occurred several hours after her completed dental procedure.” He also stated that MetHb is an “extremely rare condition that can occur with nitrous oxide administration” and emphasized that Moreno showed no warning signs during the procedure.
Her oxygen saturation levels remained acceptable throughout, according to the professional dentist. He added that Dreamtime Dentistry had followed their policy of ongoing observation and had carefully examined the child’s medical and dental history.
It was decided that the death was accidental. Dreamtime Dentistry issued a statement via Watkins after the child’s untimely demise.
The dentist was deeply saddened by the patient’s passing. According to him, the youngster was referred because of her early age and extreme situational anxiety, and a skilled anaesthesiologist kept a close eye on her throughout the treatment.
According to post-anesthesia standards, she was released from the hospital conscious, with stable vital signs and unharmed protective reflexes. The medical examiner carried out an inquiry with Dreamtime Dentistry’s complete cooperation.
Watkins warned against speculating, pointing out that it would make the family’s suffering worse, and underlined that privacy regulations restrict the information they can share. He offered his condolences to the family and reiterated that patient safety is still their top concern.
On behalf of her mother, Itzel De Jesús, Nicole Cázares Enriquez arranged a fundraising following Moreno’s passing. Although she set a $10,000 target for her GoFundMe campaign, she has already raised $19,190.
According to Enriquez, Moreno attended Sherman Elementary School in San Diego in the third grade. She was renowned for having a cheerful disposition and always greeted people with a hug and a smile. Friends characterised her as lovely, compassionate, and happy, and she was a dedicated big sister to her brother Roberto.
Her grandfather, Manuel De Jesús; her mother, Roberto Moreno; her siblings, Isis, Fabián, and Roberto Nicolás; her grandmothers, Mónica De Jesús and Florida Huerta; and a sizable extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins survive the young girl. Her lively personality has been greatly missed, and the family is still in grief.
In order to provide Moreno with a farewell that embodies the love and joy she offered to others, the fundraising looked for community donations to help pay for her funeral. All contributions were intended to be used exclusively for burial costs.
The family conveyed their sincere appreciation for the well wishes, prayers, and kindness shown during this trying time. The funeral services were place at Cypress View Mausoleum and Crematory on Wednesday, March 26 at 9:00 a.m.
Dreamtime Dentistry has promised to introduce more safety measures and is undertaking a comprehensive internal examination. Watkins offered Moreno’s family his condolences and asked that they be given privacy while they grieved.
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