Straight Teeth in Less Time
Is Nitrous Oxide Safe To Use With Children?
Lois Murray
If you have a fear of going to the dentist, the solution to your problem may be that you need a form of dental sedation to get you through it. One form that you can use at the dentist is nitrous oxide. Here are a few questions you likely have about using this safe form of dental sedation
What Is Nitrous Oxide?
Nitrous oxide is a form of dental sedation where you breathe in a combination of nitrous oxide and oxygen. Your dentist will place a device over your nose that lets you breathe in the combination. The dentist can even control how much nitrous oxide you receive to make the sedation more effective.
Are You Awake When Using Nitrous Oxide?
Twilight sedation is the type of sedation where you are asleep while it is being used. This is not the case with nitrous oxide, where you are actually awake the entire time the gas is being administered. You'll be able to respond to questions from the dentist, though you may not have a great memory of what happened during the dental procedure.
How Long Does Nitrous Oxide Remain In Your System?
The great thing about nitrous oxide is that it works quickly and wears off quickly. It is perfectly safe to have nitrous oxide used for sedation purposes during a dental procedure since it wears off fairly quickly after you stop using it. This means that you will be safe to drive home on your own and not be concerned about the effects of nitrous oxide in your body.
One aspect of nitrous oxide that makes such a great form of dental sedation is that it's completely safe to be used on people of all ages. If you have a young child that is afraid of getting a dental procedure done, nitrous oxide can be used to calm their nerves and make them feel more at ease during the procedure.
Why Is Nitrous Oxide Referred To As Laughing Gas?
You may have heard of nitrous oxide being called laughing gas, which is due to one of the side effects of it being administered. Nitrous oxide tends to make patients a bit more giggly, which is where it gets its nickname from. While it doesn't have that effect on all patients, you can expect to just feel more relaxed and carefree when using it.
Contact a local dentist to learn more about dental sedation options.
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I had braces when I was a kid. Back then, you had to wear those metal wires and rubber bands for what seemed like forever. When I saw that my child’s teeth were going to be crooked like mine, I was dreading the years of braces and orthodontist appointments and limited diets that I saw stretching ahead of us. I was pleased to find out that braces today are very different from braces when I was a kid. They don’t need to be worn for nearly as long, and they aren’t as intrusive, either. My daughter got braces that can barely be seen, and she can remove them when she eats, so she doesn’t have to give up her favorite foods. I was so impressed that I started a blog to talk about modern day tooth straightening techniques. Braces have come a long way.