Inhalation sedation for dental work

Laughing gas is the perfect way to avoid dental anxiety, pain, and complications surrounding the gag reflex. Come in for a consultation to see if our dental experts recommend using nitrous oxide at your next procedure.

Compared to most forms of sedation dentistry, laughing gas has very few side effects. Most patients walk out of the office post-procedure feeling fine and are able to go right back to their daily routine. Occasionally, a patient will experience: Shivering, Nausea, Sweating, or Fatigue. It’s best to eat lightly before the procedure and to rest five minutes post-procedure to keep these side effects from occurring.

Nitrous oxide works quickly because, unlike other forms of sedation, the body doesn’t metabolize laughing gas. Instead, the gas is expelled through your breath in a matter of minutes, which means the patient has no waiting period or “hangover” at the end of the procedure. The initial onset of inhalation sedation usually takes a few seconds and the recovery time is around three to five minutes.

Nitrous oxide offers non-invasive, rapid, adjustable sedation. Unlike some other sedation methods, the depth of sedation can be adjusted and the dentist can quickly decrease the sedative effects. No other method of sedation gives the dentist this much control. Our doctors administer nitrous oxide gas through a tube that connects to a small mask. During the procedure, a tank will continually send the gas into the mask, keeping you sedated for the entire time.

Nitrous oxide is completely safe and is the most common type of sedation in dentist offices across the globe. The gas is colorless, sweet-smelling, and doesn’t irritate the lungs, nose, or throat. Many dentists prefer laughing gas over other forms of sedation because it works fast and has reversible effects.