The dentist’s chair is not the most relaxing place on Earth. But to help make patients more comfortable, your dentist may recommend dental sedation.
It’s an important part of oral health that can help make people access even basic dental services. Dacula sedation dentistry can be used for people who:
- Have severe dental anxiety
- Have a strong gag reflex
- Need a lot of dental care
- Have a disability that can prevent them from lying still or with their mouth open, etc.
One of the most common types of sedation used by the dentist is laughing gas, also known as nitrous oxide.
It’s a mild sedative that quickly leaves the body and does not have any long-lasting effects. But does that mean you can drive after getting it?
Keep on reading to find out!
How Does Laughing Gas Work?
The dentist will place a small mask covering your nose, and a hose will deliver the gas. As you inhale the gas, oxygen is temporarily cut off from the brain, leading to the relaxing effects.
You will feel calm but remain fully conscious and responsive, though some patients forget all about the procedure once the effects wear off. The gas is known to make people (especially children) slightly giggly, which is where it gets its name from.
Once the procedure is done, the dentist switches from nitrous oxide to oxygen, which you will now breathe in. With every exhale, you will push out all traces of the gas from your system.
So Can You Drive After Laughing Gas?
Most patients are perfectly fine to drive themselves home after getting laughing gas. By the time you get out of the dentist’s chair, all traces of the substance will have left your body.
However, it’s important to note that every patient is different. While laughing gas is not known to cause severe side effects, some patients can experience mild headaches and nausea, which may make driving a bit of a nuisance.
If you’ve had laughing gas before and did not experience these symptoms, it’s very unlikely you’ll do so now. But to put your mind at ease, you can always ask a friend or family member to drive you home.
Is Sedation Safe?
Yes, when administered by a trained professional and in a controlled setting, laughing gas and other sedatives are perfectly safe.
Your dentist will only recommend sedation like nitrous oxide when it’s truly necessary, and after a careful assessment of your medical history to reduce any unnecessary risk.
Does Auburn Hills Family Dentistry Offer Sedation?
Yes! Many of Dr. Josh Haycock’s patients receive laughing gas to help them remain perfectly relaxed during their procedure.
If you have some oral health needs you want to address in a safe and comfortable environment, book an appointment online, or call us at (678) 804-8818 for more information.
