RELAXATION
Nitrous Oxide

HISTORY

Nitrous oxide was originally used as an attraction at science shows.  Horace Wells, attending one these shows, viewed one of the participants using nitrous oxide gas laughing hysterically had barked a shin, causing a serious wound but without any pain. Hence, brought this knowledge to dental field offering painless dentistry.  This was considered a major breakthrough in anesthesia. Up until this discovery, dental or medical surgery was performed with no pain control.  The survival of the patient dependent greatly on the speed of the surgeon.  Unfortunately, surgeons with great speed at times compromised accuracy lending to the assistant's loss of a digit when holding down a patient's limb for surgery.  Even the fastest surgeons, had a difficult time hiring assistants.

WHAT IS NITROUS OXIDE?

• Nitrous Oxide (laughing gas) is a gas that has been safely used as a mild anesthetic in combination with oxygen for over a century.
   

• It is classified as a "dissociative anesthetic."

HOW IS NITROUS USED?

• Nitrous is always inhaled through a mask which you breath in a
  mixture of nitrous and oxygen gas.

WHAT ARE THE EFFECTS?

• A lungful of nitrous oxide results in the temporary loss of motor control and a "dissociative" psychological effect, where sensations and perceptions become disconnected.

A happy dental patient on NOS

• Users report a dreamy mental state, and may experience mild audio and visual hallucinations.
   

• The effects come on immediately and usually last less than a minute. Repeated inhalations of nitrous can extend and intensify the experience.

Safety of Nitrous Oxide:

This form of sedative, when used in the dental setting is considered very safe.  Because it is absorbed and removed form the blood steam via the lungs essentially unchanged.  Equipment in the dental office has fail-safe mechanisms built-in to make sure you breathe in minimal amount of oxygen to prevent unconsciousness.

Nitrous oxide is completely reversible and hence does not need someone to ride you home as leave the dental office with same level of orientation as you came in.

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