A bad past dental experience may make you nervous before your next visit to the dentist. But for many patients, it’s the anticipation of pain. Your dentist may recommend nitrous oxide sedation to help manage anxiety and make your whole treatment more comfortable. But does nitrous oxide actually help with pain? We’ll explain how it works and whether it is really effective in numbing pain.
How Nitrous Oxide Gas Works for Pain and Anxiety
The main reason why dental experts use nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is for its mild sedative effects. When you inhale this gas through a small nasal mask, you’ll feel more comfortable and at ease. Some patients describe this as a floaty feeling.
So the most obvious effect of nitrous oxide is anxiety relief. Then how does it help with pain? The truth is that unlike other forms of anesthesia, nitrous oxide doesn’t actually numb pain, but raises your pain threshold. It makes minor dental procedures and injections more tolerable by changing how your brain processes pain signals.
You get dual benefits. You feel less anxious and have a lowered perception of pain. These are the reasons why nitrous oxide is such a simple but powerful tool in dentistry.
What Does Nitrous Oxide Sedation Feel Like?
Being on nitrous oxide gas can make you feel calm and light. When you breathe in the gas, you may also have a warm, tickly feeling in your hands and feet. That’s completely normal.
Some patients feel weightless, as if they’re floating. Nitrous oxide is commonly called “laughing gas,” although not everyone laughs while using it. Children and adults generally remain awake and able to respond during nitrous oxide sedation.
Will You Still Need to Get a Shot With Nitrous Oxide Gas?
Most likely, yes. As mentioned earlier, nitrous oxide alters the perception of pain. It doesn’t actually numb pain like a local anesthetic does. But here’s the good part. Kids or adults who feel too nervous or restless before an injection feel a lot calmer once they breathe in nitrous oxide gas.
So the sensation that you’d normally perceive as painful doesn’t hurt as much as you may expect. You may only feel a slight pinch.
For dental procedures like dental fillings and tooth extractions, dentists may combine nitrous oxide with local anesthesia. In some cases, such as reshaping a slightly uneven edge of a tooth, nitrous oxide alone may be enough.
Conclusion
Nitrous oxide sedation can make your dental visits a whole lot easier. It doesn’t completely numb pain; it makes you less aware of it. If you want your next dental visit to be anxiety-free and comfortable, visit Safari Family Dental and Orthodontics. Contact our team today!