Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Dental anxiety or phobia is said to effect up to 75% of the population in one way or another. At Bridgeview Dental we have a commitment to provide a great experience for all of our patients. Patients have dental fears for various reasons. We find for the majority of patients that a little bit of extra TLC and patience is all it takes to alleviate this stress. For other patients sedation is the best approach to reducing anxiety and fear.

At Bridgeview Dental we offer both Oral Sedation and Nitrous Sedation and a combination of both. We also refer patients to receive both IV sedation and general anaesthetic if necessary. We utilize Nitrous Oxide Sedation for dental procedures such as fillings, root canals and extractions. We do not offer this form of sedation for hygiene appointments. For hygiene we offer oral sedation, local and topical anaesthetic.

What is Nitrous Oxide Sedation?

Nitrous Oxide (commonly known as laughing gas) is a sweet smelling gas that has both an analgesic (pain relieving) and anxiolytic (anxiety reducing) effect when inhaled as a mixture with Oxygen. Nitrous Oxide enters and leaves the body unchanged and therefore has a rapid onset and rapid recovery time. This also allows the operator to control the level of effect throughout the procedure. Nitrous oxide and oxygen are delivered to the patient through a tight fitting nose mask.

Who is Nitrous Oxide Sedation for?

Nitrous Oxide sedation has a range of uses in the dental offices. Some patients only fear the dental injection (needle) and we only use sedation for this stage of treatment. Other patients feel anxiety during the entire procedure and this can be heightened by the drill noise and such. Nitrous Oxide sedation can also help patients with a lower pain tolerance.

Nitrous Oxide sedation can be particularly useful in children’s dental care. Many children are afraid of needles and dental treatment. Nitrous Oxide sedation can be administered to keep a child from panicking during the procedure. It may also completely eliminate the need for anesthetic.

Who can not take Nitrous Oxide Sedation?

You must discuss this with your dentist as everybody has their own unique medical history. In general, Nitrous Oxide sedation can be safely administered on most of the population, depending on behaviour. As long as the patient is cooperative, we can usually use it and each patient is pre-assessed for it’s use. All health concerns will be discussed with the dentist prior to nitrous use.

How long until I recover from the sedation? Can I drive home after?

Once the Nitrous Oxide gas is turned off, the patient is breathing 100% Oxygen. It only takes a few seconds for the effects to fade. We keep you on 100% Oxygen for 3-5 minutes just to be safe. This also helps prevent possible headaches afterwards. As long as you feel fine you are free to leave unattended and drive as well.

If you are interested in receiving treatment under Nitrous Oxide Sedation, please call us at 902-445-9255 or email info@smilehalifax.ca.