Nitrous Oxide Treatment

At our clinic, we offer the possibility of treating children as well as adults with nitrous oxide. If the official term does not seem to ring the bell, you definitely know its by its informal name – laughing gas.

What are its effects and who is it suitable for?

Generally, it’s suitable for anyone needing assistance with dental anxiety. Nitrous oxide helps alleviate stress and fear, making patients feel relaxed and at ease during inhalation. It also reduces the perception of pain. However, patients remain fully conscious throughout the procedure and can communicate with the dental team.

One of the great advantages of nitrous oxide is its rapid onset and equally quick offset once inhalation stops. The gas is expelled from the body within minutes, so there are no dietary or activity restrictions required before or after treatment.

Nitrous oxide must be inhaled continuously through a nasal mask, which means it is best suited for children who can consciously breathe through their noses rather than their mouths. Typically, this cooperation begins around the age of four.

We achieve the best results when treating children aged 6-18. And guess what? There’s no upper age limit for the treatment! ????

However, nitrous oxide may not be suitable for children with particularly intense fears and trauma related to dental treatment, as its effects might not be sufficient to manage such significant stress. The impact of nitrous oxide is highly individual and cannot be generalised.

On the other hand, the ideal patient is a capable, mature child who just needs a gentle "nudge" to help overcome their fears—be it from receiving local anaesthesia or the treatment itself.

During treatment, we use a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen. The ratio of both gases can be adjusted continuously based on the patient’s reactions throughout the procedure—immediately and individually. At the end of the session, the patient inhales pure oxygen for five minutes to accelerate the elimination of nitrous oxide from their system.

The actual dental treatment takes almost the same amount of time as it would without inhalation, so in one appointment, we usually manage to treat two simpler teeth or one more complex tooth. It’s advisable to prepare your child at home in advance for the nasal mask application; it’s really nothing to worry about, just a bit of getting used to.

And what about any unwanted side effects from nitrous oxide?

Very rarely, it may cause mild nausea or a headache. As mentioned above, there are no activity restrictions after completing a session with nitrous oxide inhalation.

Do you think nitrous oxide would be a suitable ally for you or your loved ones during dental treatment?

Book a consultation with us! :)