What You Should Know About Nitrous Oxide Sedation

If you’re like many Americans, Saturday morning cartoons might have taught you much of what you know about dental sedation. While these animated shorts might be funny, they are usually about as factual about laughing gas as they are about farm animals talking and wearing clothes while surviving massive head injuries. Laughing gas, properly known as nitrous oxide, is perfectly safe when administered under medical supervision. Here are a few facts to set the record straight about this widely understood form of medicine.

Nitrous Oxide Does Not Make You Laugh

A patient treated with nitrous oxide will experience a light, tingling sensation, a sense of well-being, lightheadedness, and numbness throughout the body. However, it will not cause you to laugh hysterically, tell your secrets, behave erratically, or hallucinate. In fact, you will be perfectly lucid and be able to communicate with your dentist and respond to instructions.

Nitrous Oxide Has Been Used for Centuries

An English scientist named Joseph Priestly discovered laughing gas in 1793. It has since been used as a safe and effective form of oral anesthesia or to lower a nervous patient’s anxiety. It has been especially useful during dental procedures for children, those with a low pain tolerance, and patients with disabilities or mental illnesses.

Nitrous Oxide May Have Side Effects

Nitrous oxide has no impact on the brain, heart, lungs, liver, or kidneys and is usually eliminated from the body within fifteen minutes after treatment. While the effects of laughing gas are over for most patients for a few minutes, others might have a more complicated recovery. Some patients have reported minor and temporary effects such as headaches, nausea, sleepiness, sweating, or shivering. These effects could be the result of excessive or changing levels of the gas during treatment.

Nitrous Oxide Is Not for Everyone

While laughing gas is completely safe for most patients, it can have negative results for others. People with an allergy to nitrous oxide may experience hives, fever, or difficulty breathing as a result of being treated with it. Similarly, it can lead to serious long-term consequences in people with histories of substance abuse, vitamin B-12 deficiencies, or respiratory illnesses. Be sure to discuss these concerns with your dentist before treatment, be rest assured that sedation dentistry is administered by trained professionals and complications are not common.

If you experience discomfort while receiving laughing gas, inform your dentist immediately. Otherwise, a laughing gas treatment should help make your dental appointment a pleasant experience.

About the Author

Dr. Henry Lu earned his DMD at the Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine before working in a pediatric dental office for three years. He has pursued continuing education courses in general dentistry and other fields so he can provide the best care for his patients. His practice in Dallas, TX offers general, pediatric, restorative, cosmetic, and emergency dentistry as well as sedation options. If you are still curious about what nitrous oxide can do for you, contact his office online or dial (469) 998-9822.