Happy/Laughing Gas Dentist
Nitrous Oxide (more commonly called Happy Gas or Laughing Gas) is used to lessen anxiety in patients undergoing dental treatment. It creates a euphoric feeling by slowing down the body’s reaction time. Used to treat both pain and anxiety, Happy Gas also acts as a mild sedative. It won’t put you to sleep, which allows you to still respond to questions from your dentist. For most treatments, Happy Gas is used along side a Local Anaesthetic to make your dental treatment as stress- and pain-free as possible.
For many nervous patients visiting the dentist, sleep dentistry with general anaesthesia or levels of sedation such as nitrous oxide (Happy Gas or Laughing Gas) can help them feel relaxed and reduce their dental anxiety during their appointments. Sedation dentistry is also an option for anxious patients that want a more comfortable experience during dental treatment. Nitrous oxide can be used in combination with local anaesthetic to make treatment even more pain and stress-free.
You may experience:
- A euphoric floating sensation
- Supression of the senses (touch, hearing, taste)
- Giggling or laughing
- A calm, soothing feeling
- Tingling in your hands and body
- Significant lessening of anxiety
- Little to no pain
Why We Offer Happy Gas To Our Patients
We understand that for many patients, dental work creates intense anxiety and fear. The goal of having happy gas available is to ensure all our patients experience a pain-free and anxiety-free visit with us.
Happy gas begins working within 2-3 minutes of inhalation, with the dosage easily adjusted depending on your requirements. The numbness and lightheadedness experienced from happy gas quickly disappears once you cease using it. Making it fast-acting with no downtime and minimal side effects.
Although happy gas is an excellent measure for reducing pain and anxiety, there are some patients for whom it is NOT recommended. Tell your dentist prior to your procedure if any of the following apply to you:
- Pregnancy (particulalry in the first trimester)
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene variants)
- Drug addiction
- A history of anxiety
Trust us to keep you anxiety and pain free, call us today to discuss how we can support you through your dental procedure.