Nitrous oxide, also referred to as “laughing gas,” is commonly utilized to relieve and anxiety and help the patient relax during dental procedures.
Nitrous oxide does not put you to sleep. You can still respond to your dentist’s requests and answer questions. A patient will first inhale 100% oxygen through a soft nosepiece before nitrous oxide is slowly mixed in with the oxygen. Nitrous oxide usually starts to work in less than five minutes. We will adjust the mixture of nitrous and oxygen to a level to ensure your comfort.
During this time you may begin to feel:
- Tingling fingers
At the end of the procedure, 100% oxygen will be given to flush the nitrous oxide out of your body. You begin to feel normal and alert after breathing the oxygen.
Because the nitrous oxide is delivered by breathing through your nose, people with stuffy noses or breathing problems cannot receive nitrous for dental procedures. Nitrous oxide also is not recommended for people with certain lung conditions such as emphysema, bronchitis, and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).