While a proactive home hygiene routine is the first step to ideal oral health, your smile also depends on regular trips to a dental professional. This keeps your teeth truly clean and allows your dentist to check for early signs of tooth decay and gum disease before either progress enough to cause significant problems. A dental emergency is far costlier and can entail more complex procedures that would be unnecessary if the issue was addressed sooner.
Don’t let fear keep you from having a great smile, call SINAI DENTAL today for more information about sedation dentistry.
Dental Anxiety and Phobia
A deep fear of the dentist or raised levels of anxiety lead a portion of the population to avoid seeing an oral health provider. Sadly, those who feel nervous about dental visits are more likely to neglect their teeth, which typically leads to gum disease, extensive tooth decay, and in severe cases even tooth loss.
Nitrous Oxide (Laughing Gas)
Nitrous oxide is a mild sedative that is mixed with oxygen and inhaled. Your dentist will place a mask over your nose and ask you to breathe normally. Within one to three minutes, you should start to feel the effects of the nitrous, which can include:
- Deep Feelings of Relaxation
- Lightheadedness
- Tingling or Heavy Feeling in Arms and Legs
Nitrous oxide wears off quickly and by the time your treatment is completed, and the mask comes off, you will no longer be under any sedation, though you may still feel somewhat relaxed. Most patients are fine to drive themselves home receiving treatment with nitrous.
Treatment with Nitrous Oxide at our Van Nuys, CA Dental Practice
At SINAI DENTAL GROUP, our experience shows that having the option for nitrous oxide available for dental visits helps get patients into our office more often. Regular cleanings and exams can prevent damage to teeth and gums and is vital to sustaining optimal oral health. For more information about how sedation dentistry can benefit you, call our Van Nuys dental office today!