Laughing gas is a safe and effective option for many children who experience anxiety or fear during dental appointments. In case you are aware that your child has a dental fear or phobia, we encourage you to share with us beforehand so we can help the kids receive the best care at our center.

Laughing gas (happy gas), also known as nitrous oxide, is a type of sedative that is used to help children relax during dental treatment. It is a colorless, odorless gas with a faint sweet smell that is mixed with oxygen and delivered to the child through a small mask that fits over their nose.

When the child breathes in the laughing gas, it produces a feeling of calmness and relaxation that can help them feel more comfortable during the dental procedure. The effects of the gas can wear off quickly once the mask is removed, allowing the child to return to normal activities without any lingering sedative effects.

Here are some things to know about laughing gas:

1. Administration: Laughing gas is administered through a small mask that fits over your child’s nose. They will be instructed to breathe in and out normally through their nose.

2. Effects: Laughing gas helps children feel calm and relaxed during dental treatment. It can also reduce pain and discomfort.

3. Safety: Laughing gas is safe for children when administered by a trained professional. It is also reversible, meaning the effects wear off quickly once the mask is removed.

4. Monitoring: We will closely monitor them throughout the procedure to ensure they are safe and comfortable.

Who can benefit from Laughing gas sedation?

Laughing gas can be particularly helpful for children who:
• Experience mild to moderate anxiety or fear during dental treatment
• Have a history of traumatic dental experiences
• Require extensive dental work and have difficulty sitting still for long periods of time
• Scared of dental injection
• Low pain threshold to tolerate dental procedures
• Have a sensitive gag reflex
• Have special needs like autism, ADHD, etc.

The use of laughing gas should always be performed by a trained dental professional who can monitor the child’s response to the sedation and ensure their safety throughout the procedure. At our center, Dr Riddhi and her team is highly skilled in performing these procedures.

General anaesthesia (Sleep Dentistry) for dental treatment in children is 100 % safe and is typically performed in a hospital settings by a licensed professionals. We work closely with the paediatric anesthetist and the hospital staff to create a safe environment for kids to undergo dental treatment under general anesthesia.

This type of sedation is typically reserved for children who may have difficulty cooperating during dental treatment, have special needs, or require extensive or complex dental procedures, such as full mouth rehabilitation where multiple teeth have to be treated at the same time in one visit.

Examples of children who may benefit from dental treatment under general anaesthesia include:

1. Very young children who are uncooperative, cannot sit still or tolerate dental procedures while awake.
2. Children with special needs, such as autism or cerebral palsy, various intellectual disabilities or complex medical conditions who may have difficulty understanding or cooperating during dental treatment.
3. Children who require extensive dental work, such as full mouth restorations, multiple extractions, or other types of oral surgery.
4. Children who have dental phobia or anxiety that cannot be effectively managed with other forms of sedation like happy gas or various behavioural modification techniques like positive reinforcement, tell show do, voice control, distraction, etc.

The decision to use general anaesthesia for dental treatment is made on a case-by-case basis after a thorough evaluation is performed by Dr Riddhi and her team.