Nitrous Oxide Sedation

Cpap deviceYour feeling calm in the dental chair during any procedure—whether a filling, a crown, an extraction, or a cleaning—is critical to our being able to administer your dental care. We want you to feel relaxed! Nitrous oxide gas can help.

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a blend of two gases—nitrogen and oxygen—and is one of the safest sedatives in dentistry.

We administer nitrous oxide by placing a small mask over your nose (your mask is only for you!) and asking you to breathe normally through your nose. When inhaled, the gas is absorbed by your body and has a calming effect.

Nitrous oxide is mild and non-addictive and is not intended to put you to sleep; its purpose is only to make you more comfortable during dental procedures.

You’ll be able to hear and respond to everything we say but feel very relaxed. You may feel light-headed at first or experience tingling in your arms and legs, but ultimately you should feel calm and comfortable.

Before we remove your mask, we’ll have you breathe in pure oxygen for a few minutes to flush the remaining nitrous oxide from your system. The effects will wear off very soon. Once your mask is removed, we’ll use a pulse oximeter to measure the amount of oxygen in your blood before clearing you to leave.

You are perfectly safe to drive after using nitrous oxide. Be sure to ask us if you would like to have this calming gas during any of your dental procedures.