Inhalatory sedation

What is laughing gas?

Laughing gas is a mixture of oxygen (O2) and nitrous oxide (N2O). The presence of oxygen is necessary because the use of N2O alone threatens health and life. Nitrous oxide is a colorless, non-flammable gas with a characteristic, slightly sweet odor.

Laughing gas is commonly used during dental procedures, childbirth, in emergency departments, and when changing dressings. It is also a carrier of anesthetic agents used in general anesthesia.

Laughing gas has an analgesic effect and relaxes the body without disturbing the defense reflexes. It minimally affects the circulatory system and respiratory functions, without disturbing their work. May cause drowsiness.

How does laughing gas work?

Under the influence of laughing gas, patients feel a pleasant daze and react less to fear. The patient is often unaware of what is happening around him and his perceptive abilities are significantly weakened. You may experience hallucinations or fall into a light sleep.

Laughing gas can cause retrograde amnesia. This means that the treated person does not remember the procedure at all, which usually makes him happy. Nitrous oxide numbs the entire body and eliminates the feeling of gravity, which is why hallucinations and dreams are mainly related to flying, swimming and levitation.

Laughing gas acts very quickly on the human body. The effects of its administration are visible after just a few minutes, but they disappear just as quickly when the gas inhalation is stopped. Therefore, the patient must wear a nasal mask during the entire procedure for sedation to be effective.

Treatment with laughing gas is especially recommended for children over 3 years of age.

Laughing gas for dental treatment

Administration of laughing gas is recommended when the patient has a strong fear of dental treatment and in people with a severe vomiting reflex or nervous hyperactivity. Thanks to inhalation sedation, the patient does not feel any pain or stress related to the dental procedure. The dose of gas is always selected individually for the person being treated.

The use of nitrous oxide may result in tissue diffusion hypoxia. For this reason, a non-health-threatening mixture of N2O and O2 is used during sedation. The gas mixture is administered using a mixer specially designed for this purpose, which has locks that prevent the administration of less than 30% oxygen. and complete N2O blockage in the absence of oxygen in the cylinder.

Immediately after the procedure, the patient is given pure oxygen for 5 minutes to get rid of the remains of nitrous oxide from the body.

The use of a safe mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen in the right proportions allows the patient to remain conscious. The subject can breathe, speak, swallow and cough on his own. At the same time, you are introduced to a blissful state of relaxation.

The mixture of laughing gas and oxygen is administered through a special nasal mask, which allows the doctor free access to the oral cavity. These masks are available in various sizes to fit every patient, regardless of age or gender. Those for children have a pleasant scent to make the mask easier for the child to accept.

Inhalation sedation - what to remember

There is no special preparation required for sedation. However, you must remember not to eat meals and limit fluids for at least 2-3 hours before the procedure. You must not drink alcohol on the day of anesthesia. You should not drive immediately after visiting the dentist.

Laughing gas at the dentist for children

A visit to the dentist often causes a lot of stress in children who are afraid of the procedure and the pain associated with it. Some children suffer from dental phobia, which often persists into adulthood.

Dentophobia leads to complete avoidance of dental procedures and, consequently, to serious oral diseases. In this case, it is recommended to use laughing gas. The child then feels less afraid of the dentist and is relaxed. Additionally, for minor dental procedures, injection anesthesia is often not necessary.

The use of a mixture of N2O and O2 is worth introducing, especially during long-term and potentially serious dental procedures. Under the influence of laughing gas, children often fall asleep and dream about pleasant things, and a visit to the dentist is no longer a nightmare.

Inhalation sedation does not pose a threat to the child's health in any way, but after administering laughing gas, the child must be observed throughout the day. Patients who were subjected to inhalation sedation as children are more likely to visit the dentist in adulthood.

Laughing gas contraindications

Inhalation sedation is a safe method of anesthetizing patients and does not cause serious side effects. Despite this, there are certain factors that exclude the use of nitrous oxide. Laughing gas should not be used on people:

• with colds and enlarged tonsils,
• with obstructed airways,
• suffering from inflammation of the throat, ear,
• with diagnosed lung disease,
• addicted to drugs or alcohol,
• with congenital heart defect,
• in pregnant women (especially in the first trimester),
• mentally ill,
• patients with multiple sclerosis, porphyria, myasthenia gravis,
• that don't cooperate.

The use of inhalation sedation requires the cooperation of the patient, who should be informed about the negative effects of using laughing gas. After the procedure, dizziness, balance disorders, nausea and vomiting may occur (especially if the patient has eaten shortly before the visit to the dentist).

Despite these side effects, it is worth asking your doctor about inhalation sedation if a visit to the dentist makes you paralyzed with fear. Nitrous oxide can be combined with local anesthesia when the anesthetic effect of the gas proves to be insufficient.