Sedation Dentistry

Nitrous Oxide Inhalation Sedation

Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a safe, effective sedative agent used to calm a child’s anxiety over a dental visit and enhance effective communication. Additionally, it works well for children whose gag reflex interferes with dental treatment.

If your child is apprehensive about the sounds, sights, or sensations of dental treatment, he or she may react more positively with the use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas). Nitrous oxide/oxygen is a combination of two gases. When inhaled, the oxygen and nitrous oxide combination are absorbed by the body and provide a reassuring, relaxing effect for your youngster without putting him or her to sleep.

Your son or daughter will smell a scent that is pleasant and experience a sense of comfort and calmness. Children will breathe normally with a mask in place sitting gently over their nose.

Since it may produce a feeling of euphoria, it is often called “laughing gas.” Children sometimes report dreaming, and their arms and legs may feel “tingly.” It raises the pain threshold and may make time appear to pass quickly.

Please have your child eat something light before the appointment. Avoid heavy or greasy foods like sausages, eggs, pancakes, or milk products. Toast, crackers, dry cereal, water, and clear juice are good choices. Please inform a staff member if your child has taken any medication before using nitrous oxide.

Nitrous oxide is regarded as the safest sedative in dentistry. It is non-addictive. Your child will remain fully conscious and all natural reflexes will remain in place while he or she breathes nitrous oxide.

Your child will be administered 100% oxygen following the use of the nitrous oxide. The oxygen will quickly remove virtually all the remaining nitrous oxide from the body. Your son or daughter will be able to walk out of our office on their own.

Dr. Angela, Dr. Arpi, or Dr. Lara will review your child’s medical history, level of anxiety, and dental treatment needs, and inform you if nitrous oxide/oxygen is recommended.

General Anesthesia for Kids

Why do general anesthesia?

There may be times when young children or toddlers may be very frightened of the dentist. At Alexandria Children’s Dentistry, we understand this, and make every effort we can to be as conservative as possible in our treatment approach.

But there are times when general anesthesia may be recommended and proposed with the parents. A conversation about this treatment approach is held, and if the parents and Dr. Angela agree, general anesthesia may be the best route to ensuring the safety of the child and the optimal situation to safely care for the patient’s teeth.

We only work with board-certified anesthesiologists who specialize in providing anesthesia safely for children.

If general anesthesia is the route we choose to take, rest assured all necessary treatment is completed in that one visit.