Nitrous Oxide Sedation/ Happy Gas
Nitrous Oxide Sedation To Calm You Down
At Paradise Smiles Dental, we understand that dental treatment can be quite overwhelming for some patients. Fear of dentist and dental procedures can make people avoid dentist appointments as long as possible.
This can be detrimental to your dental and overall health.Moreover, this fear is quite common among children who are scared of the pain and the big instruments lying near the dental chair. The anxiety and tension in kids can even make the parents nervous and create unnecessary panic. Hence, we offer Nitrous Oxide Sedation or happy gas option for our patients so that they can relax while the treatment is being carried out. It acts as a saviour for those who fear dental treatments and thus avoid them all-together.
What Is Happy Gas?
Nitrous oxide is a safe and effective sedative agent that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a small mask that fits over your nose to help you relax. Sometimes referred to as “happy gas”, it can be used to make patients more comfortable during dental procedures. It is a colourless and odourless gas which relaxes tensed patients by evoking pleasant feelings. It is very quick in coming into action and wearing off. It is completely safe to be administered on kids as well as adults.
It allows you to relax and not to worry about the procedure being carried out. It does not make the patients unconscious, and its effect wears off shortly after the dental procedure is over. It helps the dentists as the patient is in his/her senses and responds to the requests made by the dentist. During the sedation, the patient starts feeling lightheaded after inhaling the gas and sometimes may feel a slight tingling sensation in the limbs. Its impact goes away so quickly that you can even drive home yourself after the procedure.
Are There Any Side-Effects?
There are no side-effects of inhaling happy gas if it is done under the supervision of our expert dentists in Hope Island. However, if a patient inhales very high levels of the gas, he/she may feel a slight headache, sweating, fatigue, shivering and nausea.Your dentist will ask you to receive oxygen for a few minutes after the gas has been turned off to avoid a headache. It helps in removing the remaining gas from the lungs and makes the patient attentive and alert.
To avoid nausea or vomiting, you should eat lightly two hours before going for the treatment and should not eat heavy meals for at least three hours after the procedure. The kids can be given some water if they feel nauseated. If the child doesn’t want to drink water, you can try giving them diluted fruit juice or a clear soup to keep them hydrated. If the patient vomits more than twice after the treatment, then you must visit your dentist.
The Procedure
During the administration of nitrous oxide, the patient is made to sit on the dental chair and wear a nosepiece to inhale the gas. You will be asked to breathe through the nose and will be able to feel a faint sweet smell. It instantly makes the patient drowsy and relaxed. The nosepiece will be kept on the face during the procedure to ensure relaxation throughout the treatment. However, the patient is aware of the ongoing procedure and will be able to move his/her head and mouth as directed by the dentist.
The patient might feel a bit forgetful but will be able to recall the treatment once the gas is turned off. The dentist will be monitoring the level of sedation to ensure that it does not exceed the required level. In some cases, when the procedure is intrusive, your dentist in Hope Island may also administer local anaesthesia to alleviate the pain. The dentist will always ask for the consent of the parent when sedating children.
When Is Nitrous Oxide Sedation Unsuitable?
Although happy gas is absolutely safe for all age groups, there are some categories of people who should not undergo this type of sedation. You must inform your dentist if you are pregnant as nitrous oxide should not be given to women in their first trimester. People suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency or cobalamin deficiency are also not the right candidates for this sedation method. Also, people who are being treated with bleomycin sulphate or were involved with drugs are not recommended to inhale the happy gas.
Paradise Smiles Dental Makes It Easy
When you bring your children for the procedure, you must be encouraging and have a smile on your face to avoid any signs of nervousness. Make it a fun experience by bringing along a soft toy which the child can hold on to during the procedure. You can talk to your child to make them feel comfortable and calm them down. After the procedure, the child may be completely normal or may feel nauseated. You must follow the instructions of your dentist in Hope Island and make them rest after reaching home. The same steps must be followed for adults who are scared to enter the dentist’s office. The happy gas sedation can change your perception of the clinic. So stop avoiding the dentist and call us today on 07-5510 9999 to book an appointment.
