At Gentle Dental, patient comfort is our goal. Of course, this applies to removing pain caused by decay or gum problems. It applies to issues with TMJ.
And it applies to patients simply being comfortable in our Edison, New Jersey offices. Many patients have serious anxiety surrounding visiting the dentist. At Gentle Dental we use nitrous oxide to help our patients relax during their treatment.
What is nitrous oxide?
Also colloquially known as “sweet air,” nitrous oxide is a breathable gas administered through a mask that helps patients relax when in the chair for their appointment at Gentle Dental. You may have heard nitrous oxide also called “laughing gas.” This moniker comes from the characteristic of the gas to give patients a feeling of euphoria, often making them laugh.
We use a mixture of 70% oxygen and 30% nitrous oxide for our patients. It works almost immediately, but also has the amazing effect of leaving your system just as fast. That’s nice because patients don’t have any lingering haziness as they can have with general anesthesia or certain sedatives.
Where can sweet air be used?
Nitrous oxide is completely safe. Because of this it can really be used for any procedure we offer at Gentle Dental. From a routine cleaning and exam to a root canal (which will also, of course, include local anesthesia to block any pain), nitrous oxide can be a part of the procedure. The goal is to allow patients who are anxious or fearful to feel relaxed, comfortable, at ease, and actually happy during their procedure.
Nitrous oxide can really change the entire mindset of patients coming in for procedures at Gentle Dental. This is important because sometimes patients allow their fear of the dentist to get in the way of their oral hygiene. By projecting their fear onto their upcoming appointment, the patient will often cancel. This isn’t good for anyone. We can’t help keep your mouth in tiptop shape, and the anxious patient can’t get past the anxiety and move on.
The reason we have six-month schedules for our professional cleanings and exams is because this is the length of time tartar generally takes to build up to the degree that it can become a problem. Plus, while problems such as decay can make inroads in six months, they are still addressable and the problems can be reversed. If fear keeps you away from our offices for a year or two or more, problems like gum disease or decay can really take hold and make for far greater problems than would have occurred in just six months.
Is it time to come see the team at Gentle Dental to keep your oral health in good shape? Don’t let anxiety get in the way. Just ask for some “sweet air” and things will go easy peezy lemon squeezy. Call us to make your appointment, (732) 549-5660.
