How Does Conscious Sedation Work?

You’ve been putting off your dentist appointment for over a year. Something comes up every time, or so you say. You know it’s only a checkup, but you can’t seem to follow through. Just calling the office makes you anxious. You are not alone if this scenario sounds all too familiar.

According to a study published in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, about 50 to 80% of all adults in the United States suffer from some form of dental anxiety. For some patients, the high-pitched shrill of the dental drill and even the smells in a dentist's office may trigger fear. 

For others, a prior bad experience at the dentist’s office or a fear of experiencing pain, getting injections, or gagging are the culprits.

But it doesn’t have to be that way, says Ginger Rome, DDS, at The Dentists at North Cypress in Houston, Texas. You may want to consider conscious sedation.

Conscious sedation explained

Conscious sedation is a category of sedation treatment options whose purpose is to reduce anxiety and relax a patient during a procedure. There are many types of sedation treatment options available.

The options differ in two key ways – whether the treatment keeps the patient relaxed but awake or asleep and how the treatment gets administered. A dentist can provide conscious sedation as an inhalant, orally as a medication, or by injection.

What is nitrous oxide?

The most common conscious sedation technique is nitrous oxide, an odorless and colorless inhalant. As its name suggests, nitrous oxide is a chemical compound combining nitrous oxide and oxygen. 

Nitrous oxide, nicknamed laughing gas, has been a tried-and-true sedation option for medical and dental patients alike since the mid-19th century. Nitrous oxide remains the most commonly used anesthetic for dental and medical applications.

At The Dentists at North Cypress, we administer nitrous oxide to help our fearful or anxious patients keep calm and relaxed during their appointments. This technique keeps the patient awake and able to respond to questions or instructions during the procedure but not focused on what’s happening.

Patients feel calm or euphoric, giving nitrous oxide an additional nickname – happy gas. Another great plus with nitrous oxide is that patients don’t have to wait to feel its effects. Typically, patients feel relaxed within three to five minutes. The patient breathes in the gas when the dentist slips the mask over their mouth and nose.

Your dentist may recommend an alternative sedation treatment option to address your dental anxiety if you tend to get an upset stomach or have had reactions to nitrous oxide in the past.

Slows down your nervous system

What makes nitrous oxide a popular go-to for patients and dentists alike is that although it’s a mild sedative option, it’s fast-acting, safe, and effective for fearful, anxious patients. Among inhalant agents used for anesthetics, nitrous oxide has the quickest onset.

As the patient breathes in nitrous oxide gas, it creates a sense of relaxation, calm, and happiness by slowing down the nervous system and blocking certain neurotransmitters. This scenario means reduced anxiety for the patient, but that’s not all. 

Nitrous oxide also triggers the release of norepinephrine, a chemical messenger in the brain. This release blocks pain signaling, essentially dulling pain.

Effects dissipate quickly

Remarkably, the effects of nitrous oxide wear off quickly. Once your dentist turns off the gas, removes the mask and you take regular breaths of oxygen, it only takes about 5 to 10 minutes for the gas to leave your system.

So, while other sedation treatment options typically require you to have someone drive you home, nitrous oxide leaves you good to go in the time it takes to check out at the front desk.

If you fear the dentist and want to know if conscious sedation is right for you, contact The Dentists at North Cypress for a consultation. Schedule an appointment online or call us today. Our compassionate dentists and the professional team never judge. Our only concern is to help you get the care you need in a comfortable, stress-free setting.