Nitrous oxide, commonly known as ?laughing gas,? is a gaseous sedative. The sedative is safe and odorless and is mixed with oxygen when managed in dental sedation.
Sedation dentistry techniques help patients with mild to severe dental anxiety?to feel calm during dental procedures. You feel anxious about your dental appointment. You might fear when the dentist puts instruments in your mouth. All these situations may call for the use of nitrous oxide to ensure a successful, comfortable and painless dental procedure.?
Nitrous oxide is an extremely fast-acting sedative, making it beneficial for patients undergoing dental treatment. Nitrous oxide or commonly known as ?laughing gas,? is a gaseous sedative. The sedative is safe and odorless and is mixed with oxygen when managed in dental sedation. The mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen is inhaled via a facemask positioned over the nose. Nitrous oxide is gaseous in nature enabling its sedative effects to act fast because the gas reaches the brain and bloodstream instantly.
Some of the many benefits of that nitrous oxide in dentistry offers are:
Amongst all the sedatives and analgesics, nitrous oxide is one of the safest and convenient methods. As the sedative only comprises two common elements, patients cannot be allergic to it. Moreover, since the levels can be modified directly and immediately, it is easy for a dentist to dispense the appropriate amount for each patient.
Fast-acting:?The nitrous oxide gas enters the bloodstream immediately, allowing the sedative and pain-killing properties of the nitrous oxide to reach the brain and the body quickly. Patients who take IV or oral sedatives require time to recover and regain their consciousness. With nitrous oxide used for dental procedures, patients can gain their consciousness within five minutes, allowing them to drive back home.
Pain reliever: Nitrous oxide helps in relieving pain within minutes of administration. It is a great solution for patients who otherwise struggle to remain calm and follow directions for a dental procedure.
Increases comfort: Nitrous oxide allows patients to feel relaxed and calm during dental treatment, increasing comfort and reducing anxiety. The sedative also helps the patient communicate with the dental professional.
Easily administered: Nitrous oxide is easily administered through a breathing mask. Being a gaseous sedative, the patient returns to a normal state of awareness almost immediately.
Reduces gagging: Nitrous oxide sedative in dentistry temporarily decreases or eliminates a patient?s gag reflex, thereby increasing comfort and calmness throughout the dental procedure.
No use of needles: Unlike some sedation methods, nitrous oxide treatment does not require any needles, medication, an IV or any other invasive procedure to be controlled.
Full consciousness: Patients feel more relaxed when given nitrous oxide sedative. Patients are still conscious and aware of their environs, even allowing them to communicate with their dentist or nearby family member.
Little recovery time: The effects of nitrous oxide sedation wear off quickly once a patient stops breathing the gas. Nitrous oxide is one of the few sedation methods in which patients can drive themselves home after treatment.
Safe: Nitrous oxide sedation is safe and sound and easy to manage. Nitrous oxide is easily monitored during sedation, making it a very safe treatment method.
Helps dental anxiety sufferers: Nitrous oxide helps those with dental anxiety feel comfortable and relaxed during the dental procedure, regardless of the severity of anxiety.
