Nitrous oxide, a colorless gas with a slightly sweet odor, has been used in medicine for about a century; however its outdated nickname, “laughing gas,” is undeserved. It’s a safe and effective method of administering conscious sedation — which means that you’ll stay awake during the procedure.
Most people whose anxiety would otherwise keep them out of the dental chair can benefit from conscious sedation with nitrous oxide. Before beginning treatment, we will take a complete medical history, including your use of both prescription and non-prescription medications. If you are pregnant, have COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) or some other pulmonary diseases, or are taking certain drugs, it may not be right for you. However, if you feel that you would benefit from a more stress-free experience in the dental office, ask about nitrous oxide conscious sedation.
Signs Where Nitrous Oxide May Help
- Overall dental anxiety or fear of visiting the dentist
- Fear or anxiety related to dental instruments, sounds and smells
- You experience butterflies in your stomach or your heart races as you receive your dental care
- Sensitive gag reflex
- Necessity for multiple treatments to be performed at once
Benefits of Nitrous Oxide Sedation
- Nitrous oxide is inhaled through a mask, meaning patients can enter a state of sedation without any needles
- Effects can be felt almost instantly, taking only a couple of minutes to fully develop.
- Temporarily decreases or eliminates a patient’s gag reflex, further increasing comfort throughout a procedure.
- Patients can return to their regular awareness within five minutes, also allowing them to drive home.
Nitrous Oxide Sedation Procedure
Typically, a separate appointment is scheduled for patients who will be receiving nitrous oxide during their procedure. Patients are advised to have little or no food for two hours preceding the dental visit because occasionally a full stomach can cause nausea or vomiting.
Patients or parents are advised to inform the dentist if the patient is experiencing any respiratory condition that makes breathing through the nose difficult. A stuffy nose or other respiratory issues limit the effectiveness of nitrous oxide.
It is also important to tell your dentist about any medications you or your child may be taking, or if there have been any chances to your medical history since your last visit.
Patients are encouraged to relax and lie back in the dental chair to start the appointment. The dentist will place a mask over the nose of the patient, and will turn on the gas. Effects of nitrous oxide are almost immediate. You will smell a faint, sweet aroma and experience a sense of well-being and relaxation. Patients sometimes report feeling “dreamy” and their arms and legs may feel “tingly”.
Nitrous oxide also raises the pain threshold and may even make the time appear to pass quickly. If you or your child are worried by the sights, sounds or sensations of dental treatment, you may respond more positively with the use of nitrous oxide/oxygen.
The effects of nitrous oxide wears off very quickly, typically within minutes after the flow of gas has stopped. Adult patients who choose nitrous oxide during their dental treatment are able to drive themselves home or even go back to work after a brief observation period at the office. Children are also observed for a brief period of time, and are able to get back to their normal routine right away.