Dental Blog

Is Laughing Gas Safe for Children?

Is Laughing Gas Safe for Children?

600 600 Macatawa Smiles

Laughing Gas Dentist Holland, MI

If your child is having a dental procedure, Dr. Habecker may recommend laughing gas as a way to manage pain and keep your child calm.

Laughing gas is one of the most popular forms of sedation dentistry on the market. This is because it produces a calming effect that can help patients of all ages have a comfortable dental experience.

Here’s what you need to know before your child’s next appointment.

What is Laughing Gas?

Laughing gas is a form of mild sedation that is inhaled through the nose. It can be used for a range of dental procedures, from teeth cleanings to fillings. However, some procedures will still require local anesthesia to manage pain.

If your child has a history of dental anxiety, laughing gas may be used to help your child relax while receiving dental care.

Fast Recovery

We administer laughing gas via a mask we place over your child’s nose. The laughing gas works quickly to put your child at ease. Likewise, the calming effects wear off almost immediately after we remove the mask.

Unlike other types of sedation dentistry, your child will be able to return to school after their appointment.

Conscious Sedation

Laughing gas is different from sleep dentistry because your child will be awake and aware during the procedure. This means that your child will be able to cooperate if our dentist needs your child to open their mouth wider or tilt their head to access a tooth.

Our dentist has the necessary training and experience to use laughing gas during dental procedures.

Side Effects

There are no side effects, which makes this form of mild sedation perfectly safe for patients of all ages. In fact, adults who are given laughing gas are able to drive themselves home or return to work.

Other types of sedation dentistry (like pill sedation) require you to keep your child home from school and monitor them for the rest of the day for adverse side effects. With laughing gas, you don’t have to worry about any complications.

Reduces Fear and Discomfort

Children with dental anxiety require special care so they can maintain healthy smiles and learn oral hygiene habits that will last a lifetime.

The more dental anxiety or fear your child feels, the less likely they’ll continue to practice good dental care into adulthood.

We understand that your child’s early years are crucial for forming good impressions, which is why we offer dental sedation. Laughing gas will help your child stay calm while receiving pediatric dental care.

We know from experience that many people fear the dentist because they fear losing control. Since your child will be awake and aware during the procedure, they’ll feel more in control of their treatment.

Request an Appointment With Dr. Habecker

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call our office. We’re always more than happy to answer any questions you might have about your child’s dental care.

Our family dentist in Holland, MI, knows that going to the dentist can be scary. Laughing gas is a safe way to alleviate dental anxiety in children. To schedule your next appointment with Dr. Habecker, call Macatawa Smiles at (616) 396-7524.

This blog post has been updated.

COVID-19 UPDATE FROM DR. HABECKER AND HIS TEAM

Dear Patient Family,

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for all of us. Many of you have been forced to wait for dental care and we appreciate your understanding while we kept our office closed to follow orders from the Governor's Office.

We are happy to say that we are opening our office for all patient treatment on June 1st, 2020. Our hours of operation will go back to normal, Monday-Thursday 8am - 5pm. We want you to know that there will be some changes at your next appointment. Please be patient with us as our protocols will inevitably change as new guidelines are released.

  • We ask that you use our parking lot as the waiting room.
  • Please wear a mask when you come into the office and leave it on until entering the treatment room. Homemade is acceptable.
  • Only the person receiving treatment should come in the building, all others will be asked to wait in the car if at all possible. The exception will be for our minor patients who may have one parent accompany them.
  • We will be asking you some questions when you arrive at the office and we will also be taking your temperature.
  • We will not be able to offer magazines, drinks, or toys at this time as they cannot be disinfected to our standards. Eventually this will change and we will be happy to offer our amenities once again.

These changes have been made to adhere to the latest CDC guidelines and for the benefit of our patients and our staff. We want you to know that our office has always taken the safety of our patients very seriously and that we will continue to follow the highest levels of sterilization and disinfection to keep you protected. If you would like more information on what measures we have taken we would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

We cannot say how excited we are to see all of our patients again and to provide for their dental needs. We look forward to seeing all of your smiling faces soon!

Dr. Habecker and Team