Should You Consider Nitrous Oxide For Your Dental Anxiety?

If you're facing the potential for some significant dental work, you may find yourself feeling some apprehension and anxiety. While anxiety issues are common with dental work, you may be looking for a way to ease your worries. The good news is that there are plenty of sedation dentistry options to consider. One of the most popular is nitrous oxide. It's more widely recognized as laughing gas, and it is a traditional sedative used in dentist's offices. Here's a look at the pros and cons of nitrous oxide to help you decide if it is right for you.

What Makes Nitrous Oxide A Great Option?

There are many reasons why nitrous oxide is a great option for sedation. One of the things that makes it so great is the fact that it is a gas, so it is inhaled instead of injected. For those who are uncomfortable with needles, this is an ideal choice.

In addition, since it is inhaled instead of injected, it takes effect much faster. It will reach your brain within minutes, allowing you to relax and get through the dental procedure without the overwhelming anxiety.

Further, nitrous oxide is easy to adjust, so your dentist can increase or decrease it as needed, with the adjustment being noticable for you very quickly. This ensures that you will not have to worry about it wearing off in the middle of the procedure and leaving you in a state of panic.

If you will be visiting the dentist by yourself, that also makes nitrous oxide the best sedation option. Once the gas is turned off, the effects will end in minutes, allowing you to safely drive yourself home if needed.

Finally, nitrous oxide isn't allergenic, so it's something pretty much everyone can use. You won't have to worry about a drug interaction or an allergy preventing you from using it to get through your procedure.

Why Might You Want To Avoid Nitrous Oxide?

Realistically, nitrous oxide is one of the safest dental sedation options, but that doesn't make it right for everyone, or every situation. Nitrous oxide can make some people nauseous, so be aware of that before the first time you use it. Also, if you have trouble breathing through your nose, you'll want to consider another form of sedation. The nitrous oxide must be administered through a face mask under your nose since the doctor will be working on your mouth, so you need to be able to breathe effectively through your nose to get the benefit of it.