Nitrous oxide is a commonly used inhalation anesthetic in dentistry. It is a colorless and odorless gas with a faint sweet smell. It is widely regarded as an absolutely safe and effective method to reduce anxiety and induce numbness in patients with concerns in undergoing minor oral surgical procedures. It has an excellent safety record and allows the patient to tolerate unpleasant procedures by reducing their anxiety and pain.
Nitrous oxide gets absorbed quickly, allowing for a speedy recovery. It causes minimal impairment of any responses and protects the cough reflex.
The main aim of using nitrous oxide includes the following reasons:
The nitrous oxide-oxygen sedation introduces 100% oxygen given to the patient, followed by titration of nitrous oxide in 10% intervals. Then the patient is slowly allowed to breathe. A flow rate of 5-6 liters per minute is normally acceptable to most patients. The flow rate is adjusted after observation of the reservoir bag. The bag throbs gently with each breath and should be properly inflated. During the nitrous oxide analgesia, the concentration of nitrous oxide should not be more than 50%. The amount of nitrous oxide should be increased slowly to achieve the preferred effect. The patient should be requested to breathe through their nose for the gas to work. At proper intervals, the patient should be quizzed to ensure an ideal level of nitrous oxide is being administered. The appropriate level of nitrous oxide should be given to a patient; if the levels are insufficient, the anxiolytic dose will not be effective. If the levels are too high, there could be undesirable side-effects. The children saturate more quickly as compared to adults.
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