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Laughing Gas-Not just for kids!

The purpose of this article is to get the word out to all adults. “Laughing Gas is not just for Kids”

“In today’s modern dental offices laughing gas is akin to deciding whether to fly first-class or economy!”

How does it make you feel?

Nitrous Oxide   kills pain - and it induces a pleasurable feeling. After 5 minutes or so of breathing in the gas, you should feel a euphoric feeling spread throughout your body. It really kind of feels like a 'happy drunk' feeling. Some people find that there are auditory or visual effects as well. You will feel a bit light headed and often people get 'the giggles' (hence the name laughing gas!).

What are the advantages?

* Happy gas works very rapidly - it reaches the brain within 20 seconds, and relaxation and pain-killing properties develop after 2 or 3 minutes.

* 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. Other sedation techniques don't allow for this. For example, with IV sedation, it's easy to deepen the level of sedation, but difficult to lessen it. Whereas with gas, the effects are almost instant.

* Other sedation techniques have a fixed duration of action (because the effects of pills or intravenous drugs last for a specific time span), whereas gas can be given for the exact time span it's needed for. It can also be switched off when not needed and then switched on again (though to avoid a roller-coaster effect, you shouldn't do this too abruptly).

* 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.

* With nitrous oxide, it's easy to give incremental doses until the desired action is obtained (this is called "titration"). So the administrator has virtually absolute control over the action of the drug, preventing the possibility of accidental overdoses. While giving incremental doses is possible with IV sedation, it's not possible with oral sedation (as a result, oral sedation can be a bit of a hit-and-miss affair).

* Unlike IV sedation, no injection is required. In cases of very severe needle phobia, getting laughing gas first can help you feel relaxed enough to allow the needle required for IV sedation to be inserted in your arm or hand. The very deep state of sedation achievable through IV sedation may then allow you to accept local anaesthetic.

* Inhalation sedation is very safe. It has very few side effects and the drugs used have no ill effects on the heart, lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain.

* For certain procedures, especially those involving soft tissues (e. g. deep cleaning), inhalation sedation may be used instead of local anaesthesia. N2O acts as a painkiller; however, its pain-relieving effects vary a lot from person to person and can't be relied upon. So if you're determined to give the needle a miss, you and your dentist will have to try and see what happens...

* Inhalation sedation has been found to be very effective in eliminating or at least minimizing severe gagging.

What are the disadvantages?

* Some people are not comfortable with the effects of laughing gas (either because they're afraid they might lose control or because it makes them feel nauseous - this is quite rare, though, and usually due to oversedation). If you're prone to nausea, it's a good idea to have a meal (not a huge one) about 4 hours before your appointment.

* You can't be allergic to N2O. It's also safe to use if you suffer from epilepsy, liver disease, heart disease, diabetes, or cerebrovascular disease. It is also used quite successfully in many people with respiratory disease - but it depends on the exact nature of the disease, so check with your dentist!

How do I know if it's for me?

* Why not ask if you can have a 5 minute 'sample' so that you know what to expect on the day of your procedure? Some dentists offer that service to patients to help them with the decision of what to do. Your dentist may not like the idea of doing this (costs, time, etc.), but there is no harm in asking!