Nitrous Oxide Laughing Gas Available at Toledo Dental Arts 

Nitrous oxide is usually referred to as laughing gas. It will relieve pain and anxiety during medical treatment. This was first used in 1844 when Horace Wells, a dentist from Connecticut, tried it on himself when he got his tooth extracted. Wells and other experts thought that nitrous oxide could keep patients free from pain during dental procedures and surgery although nitrous oxide is not an effective pain killer. Nowadays, nitrous oxide is used to help people relax. It can also allow other anaesthetics to work better.

Nitrous oxide is administered with a comfortable mask placed over the nose, and the patient is instructed to breathe in through the nose and out through their mouth. After the gas is adjusted to the appropriate dose, and the patient is relaxed and sedated, the dentist can comfortably give the local anesthetic to the patient, and then proceed with dental treatment.

Nitrous oxide is a colorless gas that has a pleasing taste and odor. Before a dosage of nitrous oxide, people will inhale one hundred percent of oxygen through a mask or through a soft nosepiece. Afterwards, the nitrous oxide is combined with oxygen.

Dentists normally have a mixture that is composed of about one fourth of nitrous oxide and three fourths of oxygen. Nitrous oxide usually takes effect in about five minutes.  When nitrous oxide is used for mild sedation, you will feel relaxed, warm, and tingling sensations in your mouth, feet, and hands.

Nitrous oxide will not put you to sleep and you will still be able to respond to your dentist’s questions and requests. Your may slur when you speak and you may take longer than usual to respond. In general, you will be very cooperative and relaxed. You will know when you are getting injected and there are times where you may even feel the injection. You will not care anyway and your breathing and heart beat will remain stable and normal.

Nitrous oxide is safe although some side effects may include headache, vomiting, or nausea.  If so, the nitrous oxide will be turned off and you will be allowed to breathe oxygen for five minutes. This will flush out the nitrous oxide from your system.

Nitrous oxide is contraindicated in pregnancies.  You must report any medications you are taking  for psychiatric conditions.  Nitrous oxide is safe for children.

After the treatment is completed, the patient is given pure oxygen to breathe for about five minutes, and all the effects of sedation are usually reversed. Unlike IV sedation or general anesthesia, the patient can almost always leave the office by themselves, without an escort.