• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

St. Louis Sedation, Sleep & Special Needs Dentistry :: The Dental Anesthesia Center

St. Louis Sedation, Sleep & Special Needs Dentistry :: The Dental Anesthesia Center

The Only Board Certified Dental Anesthesiologists in the State of Missouri, including the St. Louis Metro Area.
St. Louis Sedation & Sleep Dentistry
Call (314) 862-7844
  • Home
  • Our Dentists
    • Michael J. Hoffmann, DDS
    • Victoria Q. Daugherty, DDS
    • Sean M. Thoms, DMD, MS
  • Sedation Dentistry
    • Levels of Sedation
    • Conscious Sedation
    • IV Sedation
    • General Anesthesia
    • Sleep Dentistry
  • Special Needs
    • Dental Anxiety
    • Autism
    • Cerebral Palsy
    • Down Syndrome
    • Intellectual Disabilities
  • Dental Services
    • General Dentistry
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Porcelain Veneers
      • Teeth Whitening
    • Restorative Dentistry
      • Dental Crown
    • Dental Implants
    • Pediatric Dentistry
    • Perio Protect
  • Patient Info
    • Patient Forms
    • Post Operative Forms
    • Dental Anesthesia Forms
    • Insurance
    • Letter of Medical Necessity
  • Contact Us
  • Reviews
  • Blog
You are here: Home / Blog / St. Louis Sedation Dentistry: How Does Laughing Gas Work?

St. Louis Sedation Dentistry: How Does Laughing Gas Work?

March 19, 2018 By DAC Leave a Comment

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a safe and effective sedative agent that can help you relax during your dental procedure.

Sleep Dentist St Louis

Nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as “laughing gas,” is an odorless gas that can do wonders to reduce anxiety, especially in children or adults who have previously had a bad experience in the dentist’s chair. It comes with very little risk, but it still needs serious consideration. Before you choose to use laughing gas, either for your child or yourself, it is important to determine if it is the best course to ease the anxiety that can come with a dental visit.

Are There Side Effects?

In most cases, the risks for use with laughing gas are short-lived and nothing serious. Most patients tolerate it without any side effects at all. But there are times when it might not be the right choice for the procedure you are having or the best choice for your child. It works instantly, and its general lack of side effects are both excellent reasons to use it for your next dental procedure if it is right for you. Other benefits that nitrous oxide has over different methods of sedation is that it can be reversed in a very short time, and it can be regulated to suit the individual and their response to it.

Laughing gas is a sweet-smelling, non-irritating, colorless gas which you can breathe. There is no concern that you or your child could have an allergic reaction that might lead to serious complications. When you are given laughing gas, you are completely awake and alert and can answer questions about how you feel.

Some of the minor side effects of using laughing gas include:

  • vomiting
  • lightheadedness
  • headache
  • shivering or sweating
  • increased drowsiness

The headaches can be a symptom that the patient goes for a very limited time without enough concentration of oxygen, up to five minutes after the laughing gas has been removed. The patient can usually overcome the side effects of headaches by being given concentrated oxygen that helps to circulate the nitrous oxide out of the lungs. If a patient is feeling any of the above problems, it is imperative to let the dentist know so that the concentration can be adjusted or it can be turned off altogether.

Sedation Dentistry St. Louis

Are you trying to find a sedation dentist? Is a dental phobia keeping you away from the dentist? If you have not been to the dentist because you suffer from moderate to severe dental phobia, we are here to help you. The Dental Anesthesia Center is a state-of-the-art dental facility for patients who require general anesthesia, deep sedation, or oral sedation for their dental care. Young children unable to cooperate and individuals with mental or physical disabilities can benefit from these services.

Call to schedule an appointment at (314) 862-7844.

SHARE ON
TwitterFacebookWhatsAppGoogle+BufferLinkedInPin It

Filed Under: Blog, Sedation Dentistry Tagged With: nitrous oxide

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Instant Contact Form





Your Name (required)

Your Phone (required)

Your Email (required)

Subject (required)

Your Message

From our Blog

Are Regular Visits to the Dentist Really Necessary for Young Children?

There are many reasons why regular exams are critical to your child’s dental health – not just early on, but to establish healthy dental habits that last a lifetime. It might be appealing to put off pediatric dental visits when your children are young. You may figure that they just have baby teeth that aren’t […]

Will My Dental Insurance Cover Dental Sedation?

Dental sedation may be covered by your insurance as it may be considered a medical necessity. If you are undergoing a series of dental procedures or treatments, or you need to have major oral surgery, and you are wondering if your dental insurance will cover the cost of having oral sedation, the answer is that […]

Is Dental Sedation Safe for Kids?

Sedating a child for a dental procedure is normally very safe, but it’s important for parents to prepare their child for sedation. Safety is always a parents’ top concern when it comes to protecting their child. This is especially true with regards dental sedation. For children that are autistic or who are extremely young or […]

Your Child’s Baby Tooth Has a Cavity – Should You Have it Filled?

Early childhood caries (ECC), is now the most common chronic early childhood disease in the United States. If you’ve had your young child to the dentist and have discovered that he or she has a cavity, you may be wondering if you should hassle with having it filled. You may reason that since the tooth is going to […]

St. Louis Sedation Dentistry: How Does Laughing Gas Work?

Laughing gas, or nitrous oxide, is a safe and effective sedative agent that can help you relax during your dental procedure. Nitrous oxide, sometimes referred to as “laughing gas,” is an odorless gas that can do wonders to reduce anxiety, especially in children or adults who have previously had a bad experience in the dentist’s […]

  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Notice of Nondiscrimination


The Dental Anesthesia Center: Sedation and Sleep Dentistry

950 Francis Pl #305

Clayton, MO

63105

(314) 862-7844

Copyright © 2018 · The Dental Anesthesia Center