When you hear the word sedative, what comes to mind? You may think about being knocked out for a medical procedure or becoming comatose or delirious with medication. But not all sedatives have this kind of effect on you.
For dental care, nitrous oxide doesn’t make you unconscious—you stay awake the entire time you receive it. It is a gentler sedative, which means it will not put you to sleep. However, that doesn’t mean it’s ineffective. Keep reading to learn how nitrous oxide works and why you should seriously think about getting it for your next dental appointment.
What Does Nitrous Oxide Actually Do?
When the small mask is placed over your nose, you inhale a concentration of the gas mixed with normal air. After a couple of minutes, having this gas in your system affects your mental state. Instead of feeling fear or anxiety, you feel content or happy, warm, and completely at ease.
Throughout your treatment, your dental team asks how you’re doing, gauging whether adjustments need to be made to the nitrous oxide. It can be increased or decreased according to your needs. The higher the concentration, the stronger the effect. Even at the strongest setting, however, you’ll remain awake and able to respond to questions or instructions.
Why Is Nitrous Oxide Worth Considering?
Overall, most people with mild or moderate anxiety about seeing the dentist don’t require a powerful sedative. Nitrous oxide can take enough of the edge off to help them relax while they’re in the chair.
Plus, just as quickly as they set in, the effects of nitrous oxide wear off. Just minutes after the nasal mask is removed, any fogginess or euphoria should subside, enabling you to drive away and get back to normal activities right away. With stronger sedatives, you’d have to get a ride home with a friend or family member and take a few hours to recover.
As the gentlest form of sedation, nitrous oxide can be used on basically anyone—even kids! Allergies or health concerns that could interfere with the nitrous oxide are pretty rare, as are negative side effects of this sedative.
In the end, if you experience trepidation about having dental work done, nitrous oxide is a great option for making your appointments more comfortable. You may not be asleep, but with it, you can feel more at ease while your smile gets the care it needs to be healthy, strong, and beautiful!
About the Practice
Williamsburg Dental proudly offers sedation dentistry to patients who have dental anxiety. In addition, we also can provide oral conscious sedation for more severe anxiety or longer procedures. With years of clinical experience and ongoing training, our compassionate dentists are dedicated to creating positive appointments every time you come in. If you would like to learn more about dental sedation, contact one of our six locations throughout Lincoln.