Nitrous Oxide
NITROUS OXIDE
Nervous about dental treatment? Don’t be- so many of our patients use nitrous oxide to help relax them for their dental procedures, it really makes a big difference! Nitrous oxide, more commonly called “laughing gas” is such a great tool for us to use in a dental setting. A rubber nasal hood is placed over your nose and you simply breathe in and out and enjoy. Laughing gas is incredibly effective on both children and adults. Nitrous oxide works very rapidly – it reaches the brain within 20 seconds, and relaxation and pain-killing properties develop after 2 or 3 minutes, many patients experience a mild euphoria. The depth of sedation can be altered from moment to moment, allowing the person who administers the gas to increase or decrease the depth of sedation so that we can help you achieve just the right amount of comfort. There’s no “hangover” effect – the gas is eliminated from the body within 3 to 5 minutes after the gas supply is stopped. You can safely drive home and don’t need an escort.
Many patients choose to use nitrous oxide even for cleanings- it helps turn the dreaded bi-annual visits into something they look forward to. Nitrous oxide works really well for patients who have an overactive gag reflex as well. Nitrous oxide works beautifully on both children and adult patients.
Nitrous Oxide will put you at ease so you experience little to no discomfort; however, Dr. Griffon will also administer a local anesthetic to ensure that you don’t experience any pain. At this point in the procedure you’ll be so relaxed that you’ll hardly even notice. A procedure utilizing nitrous oxide generally requires one to two visits. During your first visit, your doctor will take a detailed health history. If you’re comfortable, she will look in your mouth and take dental x-rays. Next she will carefully explain what you can expect during the procedure and will patiently answer any questions you may have. At that point, if you are ready to start treatment, she will administer the nitrous oxide for your procedure. At the end of your appointment, we will administer oxygen to you and you will be able to drive yourself home.
