We know that most patients don’t love coming to see us unless it’s an emergency. There are some options we provide which can help reduce dental anxiety. One option is to use nitrous oxide, which is commonly referred to as “laughing gas”. Nitrous oxide is a safe option for reducing anxiety. It’s administered in the office and carefully titrated based on each patient’s individual need. We start patients on nitrous prior to starting a procedure and at the end of the procedure will administer 100% oxygen to allow the nitrous to be fully exhaled. During the procedure the nitrous will help you feel relaxed but will not cause you to fall asleep. Afterwards it leaves no lingering effects meaning that it’s safe to drive yourself home or return to work. Nitrous oxide is safe to use on patients of all ages.

Another option to help with anxiety is taking a prescribed sedative such as Valium. Oral sedation will not “knock you out” but will help you feel more relaxed during your visit.  Oral sedatives take longer for the body to metabolize and will require a patient to be driven to and from their appointment. We prefer our patients to be comfortable while we’re working and we’re happy to discuss these options in detail.