Some children find dental examinations and procedures to be intimidating. This is more so the case with children who are anxious about visiting a dental office. At Rockstar Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, our pediatric dental patients receive a positive experience in a comforting and supportive environment. The use of Laughing Gas in Washington, DC is one of the ways we achieve this. Our pediatric dentist, Dr. Stella, may recommend the use of this form of mild sedation to relieve discomfort and anxiety during examinations and procedures.

Laughing gas or nitrous oxide is an odorless and colorless gas that has been considered safe for use by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD). It is a mild sedative. Many children can have anxiety or fear about visiting dentists. They tend to have shorter attention spans and may find it difficult to follow instructions. Dr. Stella, our board-certified pediatric dentist in Washington, DC, may consider the use of laughing gas under a number of such conditions. Some children may have resistance to local anesthesia.

The use of nitrous oxide can help in relaxing and soothing such children. It can keep them calm during different types of dental procedures.

We use laughing gas for a variety of dental procedures, ranging from cleaning teeth to filling cavities. If required, we may also consider administering local anesthesia. Our qualified pediatric dentist, willl take all steps to manage anxiety and pain together to help our young patients feel relaxed while being able to maintain good oral health.

Some of the main reasons why we may consider nitrous oxide for a procedure are as follows:

• Quick relaxation: It is different from other forms of sedation dentistry in relaxing children without putting them to sleep. The patient remains responsive during the procedure.
• Wears off quickly: Laughing gas can not only take effect quickly, but it can also wear off quickly. The effect starts decreasing the moment we change the makes to release 100% oxygen.
• Lack of lingering effects: Since the gas doesn’t have any lingering side effects, it is safe for everyone, including small children.

Dr. Stella will administer the sedation with the help of a “space mask” that supplies a mixture of laughing gas and oxygen in the right proportion. Your child will be required to breathe via the nose and will experience a mildly sweet smell. Laughing gas can show its effect within 5 minutes.

The mask is kept in place until the dental procedure is complete. The gas also has pain-relief or analgesic properties. It also plays an important role by eliminating the sense of time away from children who have shorter attention spans. This is important for treatments that require more time. 

Dr. Stella is one of the top pediatric dentists in Washington, DC, according to the leading dental professionals’ magazine, Incisal Edge. She is a specialist in the areas of both pediatric dentistry and dental public health.