If you’re someone who ordinarily suffers from dental anxiety, sedation dentistry can be incredibly helpful in making oral healthcare much more relaxing. Nitrous oxide in particular is a popular method of sedation for patients of all ages who struggle with dentistry.
If you’ve never used it before, you might not know necessarily what to expect from this style of sedative. How will it make you feel? Will it put you to sleep during the procedure? If you’re curious, here’s what you should know.
Will Nitrous Oxide Put You to Sleep?
When dentists use sedatives, they typically don’t want to put their patients to sleep. Ideally, patients will be relaxed but still able to follow dentist’s instructions. For that reason, the drugs used are designed and dosed in order to keep patients awake for the duration of the procedure.
Some patients will find themselves accidentally dozing off over the course of treatment while under the influence of sedation, but nitrous oxide is also one of the milder sedatives that dentists have on offer, making this especially unlikely.
What Does Nitrous Oxide Sedation Actually Feel Like?
As you might have guessed from a drug called “laughing gas,” people under the influence nitrous oxide typically feel light and giggly. Nitrous oxide is inhaled through a mask throughout the duration of the procedure in order to relax the patient, with the effects settling in quickly once the flow of gas begins. Once the flow of gas stops, the effects will fade soon afterward.
Who Can Benefit from Nitrous Oxide?
Nitrous oxide, like many other dental sedatives, is used often to help patients deal with their dental anxiety. People who ordinarily can’t stand to visit the dentist’s office may be able to actually relax over the duration of the procedure.
However, they’re far from the only ones who will be able to benefit from sedation dentistry. Many patients aren’t necessarily scared of the dentists but have strong gag reflexes that can still make oral healthcare difficult. Nitrous oxide can suppress the physiological responses of these patients, making care easier. These sedatives can also be useful for children or special needs patients who tend to have trouble sitting still for the duration of the procedure.
If you struggle to visit the dentist for one reason or another, talk to them about sedation. It could be just what you need to make your next procedure easy!
About the Author
Dr. Vrajesh Shah truly wants as many people as possible to have a smile that they can truly love, which is why he endeavors to make his dental care both comfortable and efficient. If you’re someone who is ordinarily anxious to see a dentist, he has sedative options that can make treatment much easier for you. Dr. Shah initially studied dentistry in India before moving to the U.S., where he graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry.
If you have any questions about nitrous oxide, he can be reached at his website or by phone at (732) 943-1709.