Nitrous Oxide gas, often referred to as laughing gas or sweet air, is an effective anesthetic drug that has many benefits for patients seeking dental treatment.

     The benefits of nitrous oxide are many, and the risks are few.  The gas is administered with a comfortable mask placed over the nose, and the patient is instructed to breathe in through the nose and out through their mouth.  The patient begins to feel a pleasant level of sedation anywhere from 30 seconds to three or four minutes which can be sustained throughout the procedure.  After the treatment is completed, the patient is given pure oxygen to breathe for about five minutes, and all the effects of sedation are reversed.

    Dentists find nitrous oxide especially useful for fearful patients as well as young children. 

     The dentists at Somerset Family Dentistry are trained in the administration of nitrous oxide gas, so if you feel that you could benefit from nitrous oxide during your dental procedure let them know.