How does laughing Gas Work?

Dental anxiety is common, and for some people it is the single reason treatment gets postponed year after year. Modern dentistry has a number of ways to make appointments easier to get through, and inhalation sedation, widely known as laughing gas or happy gas, is one of the better known of them. If you have been putting off treatment, this article explains what laughing gas is, how it works, how it feels and what side effects to expect.

What is laughing gas?

Laughing gas is a colourless, faintly sweet-smelling medical gas that is breathed in through a small nosepiece and mixed with oxygen. It is a mild sedative rather than an anaesthetic. It does not put you to sleep and it does not numb the tooth; local anaesthetic still does that job. What it does is take the edge off anxiety, so the appointment feels shorter and less confronting.

Because the gas is a regulated medicine, Australian advertising rules limit how much can be said publicly about the specific product used and its effects. Your dentist will go through it properly with you in person, including whether it is appropriate given your medical history.

How does laughing gas work?

The sequence at an appointment is straightforward:

• Inhalation. A small mask sits over the nose and delivers the gas blended with oxygen. You breathe normally through your nose and can talk throughout.
• Absorption. The gas passes from the lungs into the bloodstream within minutes.
• Effect on the brain. It acts on the central nervous system to reduce the perception of anxiety and discomfort, so procedures tend to feel less intense.
• How it feels. Most people describe a light, floating or tingling sensation and a sense of calm. You stay awake, aware and able to follow instructions, which is why it is used during treatment rather than before it.
• Onset and recovery. It takes effect quickly and wears off quickly. Once the gas is switched off and you breathe pure oxygen for a few minutes, the effects typically fade, and many people are able to continue with their day.

The concentration is adjusted throughout the appointment, so the level of sedation can be increased or decreased depending on how you are going.

Benefits of inhalation sedation

• It can reduce dental anxiety and fear, making treatment easier to sit through
• It helps with discomfort management alongside local anaesthetic
• Onset and recovery are both rapid, and the depth can be adjusted during the appointment
• It is considered one of the milder forms of sedation used in dentistry
• It is used for children as well as adults where a dentist assesses it as appropriate

Side effects of laughing gas

Side effects are usually mild and short-lived, but they do occur. They can include:

• Nausea, particularly if you have eaten a large meal beforehand
• Headache
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Blurred vision
• Fits of giggling, which is where the nickname comes from
• Tiredness afterwards

Inhalation sedation is not suitable for everyone. It may be unsuitable if you have certain respiratory conditions, a blocked nose on the day, some vitamin deficiencies, or during early pregnancy. Your dentist will take a full medical history and assess whether it is an option for you.

When is it used?

Sedation of this kind is generally considered where anxiety would otherwise prevent treatment, for longer appointments, for people with a strong gag reflex, and for procedures such as fillings, wisdom teeth removal and minor surgical work. It is also one of the tools used to help nervous children through treatment, alongside a slower pace and plenty of explanation, as part of children's dentistry.

Managing dental anxiety

Sedation is not the only answer, and it is often not the first one. Longer appointment times, agreeing a stop signal, explaining each step before it happens, morning appointments, and simply building familiarity through short, routine visits all help. Many people find that a straightforward check-up and clean with a dentist who takes the anxiety seriously is enough to make the next appointment easier.

Talk to Helix Dental

Helix Dental is a cosmetic and general dental practice at 2/299 Rio Vista Blvd, Mermaid Waters. If dental anxiety has been keeping you away, tell us when you book. Our dentists will talk through what is involved, work at a pace that suits you, and discuss which comfort and sedation options may be appropriate for your situation.

To arrange an appointment, call 07 5572 8969 or email hello@helixdental.com.au.