Nitrous Oxide/ Laughing Gas

Dental treatments can make people feel uneasy. Nitrous oxide also called laughing gas, is a sweet-smelling, non-irritating, colorless gas that you are made to breathe. Nitrous oxide will make you feel completely relaxed but in a responsive state. It has been used as the primary means of sedation in dentistry for a very long time. In order to eliminate pain, local anesthesia will be administered in combination with nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide helps in removing any feelings of nervousness or discomfort and makes the whole process seem to pass more quickly.

What are the advantages of nitrous oxide?

Nitrous oxide is a safe form of sedation dentistry in which the patient will be able to receive 50-70% oxygen with about 30% nitrous oxide. The patient can breathe on their own and stay in control of all bodily functions. The patient may experience mild amnesia and fall asleep without remembering anything that happened during their procedure.

The advantages of using nitrous oxide are as follows:

• The depth of sedation that is used can be changed at any time by increasing or decreasing sedation.
• You won’t feel anything like “hangover.”
• Inhaling sedation doesn’t involve any form of side effects on your lungs and heart, etc.
• Nitrous oxide has an effective property of minimizing gagging.
• It works very quickly and reaches the brain in about 20 seconds. In almost 2-3 minutes, you will be able to feel its properties of relaxation and pain killing develop in you.

When is the nitrous oxide not allowed to be used?

If you are suffering from some chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), then you won’t be allowed to utilize nitrous oxide. You won’t be permitted to use it if you have any kind of exotic chest problems, emphysema, a cold, M.S., or any other breathing difficulties. You can ask your dentist to have a “5-minute trial” so that you can see for yourself how you might feel with this type of sedation method before proceeding any further.

We serve the area of San Mateo and Burlingame Terrace. To schedule an appointment, call us at (650) 348-5424, and we will be happy to help.