Nitrous oxide, otherwise known as laughing or happy gas, is a colorless and odorless gas that you inhale through your nose. The effects of laughing gas are a relaxed feeling and diminished pain, making it an ideal sedation option for many dental procedures. Advantages of sedation utilizing laughing gas include:
- The effects of laughing gas make their way to the brain in mere seconds, and the pain relieving properties develop in just minutes.
- Your sedation dentist can alter the level of sedation during treatment.
- Nitrous oxide can be administered for the exact amount of time it is needed to complete the procedure.
- Nitrous oxide has no negative after-effects because it is eliminated from the body within five minutes after the sedation is stopped.
- Your sedation dentist has complete control and is able to give incremental doses of laughing gas, eliminating the risk of accidentally overdosing.
- No injection is required, making laughing gas a very attractive option for patients with a fear of needles.
- The relaxing effects of sedation with laughing gas is known to eliminate or reduce gagging.
- Sedation with laughing gas is considered very safe and has no negative effects on other organs of the body.
There are a few potential disadvantages of sedation with laughing gas, including:
- Some patients may not achieve the desired level of sedation with the maximum amounts of laughing gas allowed.
- Patients who are mouth breathers, have claustrophobia, or have difficulty breathing through their nose may not be good candidates for laughing gas.
- If you are prone to nausea or a sensitive stomach, laughing gas may not be a good option.
We look forward to seeing you in our Fresno dental office