Fasting keeps your child safe while they are asleep. The exact times are set by the anaesthetist for each hospital list, and we email them to you two business days before surgery together with the admission time. Please follow the times in that email exactly — surgery may be cancelled on the day if fasting requirements are not met.
What the instruction covers
Your fasting instruction will give a cut-off time for each of these:
- Solid food, milk, formula, juice and any non-clear drink — including chewing gum and lollies. Formula counts as food.
- Clear fluids — usually water only, and usually in limited amounts, until a later cut-off.
- Breast milk — if relevant, a separate cut-off confirmed by the anaesthetist.
- Nothing by mouth after arrival at the hospital, unless the hospital team says otherwise.
Different hospitals and anaesthetists set different times, and the times also depend on where your child is on the list. That is why we do not publish a single rule here.
Medications
If your child takes regular medication, ask the anaesthetist’s rooms whether it should be taken on the morning of surgery and with how much water.
If you are unsure
Call the anaesthetist’s rooms (the number is in your admission email ) or call us on (07) 3398 5885. We cannot change fasting instructions ourselves — the anaesthetist decides — but we can put you in touch.
Happy gas is different
Fasting for happy gas (relative analgesia) appointments in the clinic follows Tooth Town’s own instruction, which is on the Happy gas page.
Last reviewed: 4 September 2026