Nitrous Oxide (N2O or Laughing Gas)

Laughing gas, is a safe means of conscious sedation that we use for conscious sedation during pediatric dental procedures.  Your pediatric dentist may recommend nitrous oxide for your young child, anxious child or special needs child.  It is a mix of two gases, nitrous oxide and oxygen.

How is nitrous oxide given to your child to help calm her for a dental procedure?

A fitted mask is placed over your child’s nose and she breathes normally allowing the gas to be taken into her lungs.  Nitrous oxide is an effective way of calming a nervous or fearful child, especially younger children or children with special needs.

Nitrous oxide has a faint sweet smell and provides a sense of calmness and can significantly reduce anxiety and fear. Your child will remain awake while he is breathing laughing gas. Once the mask is removed from the nose a few short breaths will expel all of the nitrous oxide and replace it with oxygen in your child’s lungs.   There are no lingering sedative effects of laughing gas after the mask is removed and your child will return to normal activity level shortly after the nitrous oxide is discontinued.