Having your child attend a dental office can be extremely challenging. However, kids do get cavities and other oral health issues that require treatment. Sedation dentistry helps to make kids’ visits to a dentist efficient and productive. Nitrous oxide is one of the most common methods employed in safe sedation dentistry. However, many parents are concerned with side effects of sedation and want to know: is nitrous oxide safe for kids? In this article we will answer this question.
Nitrous oxide has been used in dentistry for decades. It is a very well-researched and tested method of sedation, and it is very safe for children, too. It helps ensure that your child feels calm and comfortable during dental procedures, such as fillings, crowns, cleanings, or tooth extractions.
Nitrous oxide is also commonly called “a laughing gas.” This form of sedation is very mild, can be easily controlled, and is very safe. Nitrous oxide does not have negative effects on the heart, brain, kidneys, lungs, or liver. Additionally, it has no smell. Nitrous oxide is used in combination with oxygen in a 30% to 70% ratio and does not disrupt normal breathing. All these factors make nitrous oxide a very common, safe sedation dentistry method for children.
When you bring your child to the dental office, your dentist will explain to the child that they are going to fit a small mask over the child’s nose. The dentist will also tell your kid in child-friendly terms what they are going to feel and that the laughing gas will help them relax and be less anxious. When the mask is in place, your child can breathe as usual. The mask is small and soft and typically does not cause discomfort. However, the child should be able to breathe through their nose.
Nitrous oxide does not make a child feel too sleepy. Your kid will just be relaxed and comfortable. Nitrous oxide is called “laughing gas” because it can make a patient feel happy and get giggles. However, your child will still be able to understand the doctor’s instructions during the visit. Your child might feel a little heaviness in their arms and legs, but the coordination will still be normal.
A few minutes after the mask is removed, the effects of sedation will fade. Therefore, there will be no need for recovery time. Your child will start feeling and moving normal almost right away, and will be able to return to the usual daily activities.
Nitrous Oxide does not significantly reduce the sensations of the patient. But it still reduces pain to some extent. On top of that, it makes the child feel less scared or anxious. If a more complex and invasive procedure is planned, your dentist will use local anesthetic for pain prevention in addition to nitrous oxide. In these cases, sedation will also make your child less scared about the anesthetic injection.
Children can be very anxious and fussy about dental visits. This is a normal and natural protective response to an invasive procedure. Some children can also be especially scared due to their previous unpleasant experience at a dental office. If a child can not sit still for a long period of time or cries during the procedure, it makes the visit unnecessarily stressful for them and more challenging for the dentist.
The goal is to ensure that the visit to the dental office is productive and the treatment is complete. Using the laughing gas for mild sedation will ensure that the visit is smooth and effective and your child’s oral health issues are resolved. On top of that, using nitrous oxide can help your child feel more positive about going to the dentist in the future and overcome dental anxiety.
If you have concerns about your child’s oral health, make an appointment with a dentist for the whole family at My Dentist Anaheim dental office. Our specialists will make sure that your child feels safe and comfortable during a dental procedure. Our experienced dentist can use nitrous oxide as a method of safe sedation if your kid feels anxious about the visit. We are looking forward to welcoming you and your child to our office.
