
It goes without saying that for most people, visiting the dentist isn’t exactly their favorite thing. In fact, just the idea of it makes some people completely terrified. This kind of fear has a name, dental phobia, and it causes millions of Americans to miss out on much needed dental care every year, leading them to develop serious problems that could have easily been prevented. If you or your child feel really anxious about dental care, sedation dentistry can help change all that. With it, we can calm those racing thoughts, make nerves melt away, and help appointments glide by on a carpet of relaxation. Sounds pretty nice, right? This kind of experience is available right here in Garland at Dentistry By Brand, and you can learn more by calling us today.
For over a century, dentists have been soothing their patients’ dental fears with nitrous oxide (which is often referred to as laughing gas). It is the lightest form of dental sedation; while you’re under its effects, you will be conscious and able to communicate with our team, but you will also feel relaxed and happy. It’s suitable for both children and adults, so don’t hesitate to let us know if anyone in your family is interested in receiving nitrous oxide the next time they visit our office.
Do you find yourself feeling mildly anxious or afraid whenever you step into a dental office? Is it often hard for you to sit still while your mouth is being treated? Does dental work sometimes make you gag? Are your gums not easily numbed when a local anesthetic is used?
If you found yourself answering “yes” to one or more of the questions listed above, then nitrous oxide is potentially a great choice for you. Of course, it’s not a perfect fit for everyone. Pregnant women shouldn’t have it administered because it might affect the fetus. Also, it’s not recommended to have nitrous oxide sedation performed if you have any health issues related to breathing.
Nitrous oxide sedation is so simple that you generally don’t need to do anything special to prepare for it. At most, we may ask you to refrain from eating anything too heavy for a couple of hours before your appointment. This is because people who receive nitrous oxide while their stomachs are full sometimes experience nausea.
After you arrive at our office and get settled in the dental chair, we’ll give you a mask to be placed over your nose. The mask will be attached to a special machine; once we turn the machine on, you’ll start inhaling the nitrous oxide (which will be mixed with oxygen). The sedative will keep you calm and comfortable during your treatment. We will be able to adjust the flow of the nitrous oxide at any time if we need to.
At the end of your treatment, we will remove the nasal mask. You’ll then need to wait in our office for a few minutes to give the effects of the nitrous oxide a chance to dissipate. We’ll keep a close eye on you to make sure that everything’s okay.
Once you feel normal again, you’ll be ready to leave our office. At that point, you can simply return to work or school to carry on with the rest of your day; you won’t have to worry about getting someone else to take you home. (Note that this is only regarding the effects of the nitrous oxide. If you had some type of invasive treatment done, you may need to plan on resting at home for a while.)