Nitrous Oxide commonly known as Laughing Gas

I love nitrous oxide. This colorless and odorless gas makes most of my dentist visits worth while. What a great little gas those clever scientists came up with. Usually I get so giggly that the dentist has to walk out for a minute while I gain composure, but not this time.


Yesterday I had a dentist appointment. I was expecting to have 12 cavities filled and a root canal. You might be thinking, “Geese does this girl ever brush or what?!” and yes I do, but I also I drink so much coke that I have several small little cavities between my teeth (not to mention I do have a weak spot for sugar). With my appointment I was planning on going in and having it all done at once; one appointment and one afternoon off work. But that was not the case.

When the dentist took me back, I only had 5 fillings to do and then he scheduled my root canal for another week or two. Great news for me! This meant less time in the chair and a lower bill.

I immediately requested the gas and got situated in my chair watching “The People’s Court”. I don’t know what it is about that show that holds my interest. Maybe it is the commonality I feel I have with the judges—I too deal with stupid people on a regular basis and am surprised that they have made it this far in life. But anywho—I began watching it. The hygienist started the gas and within a matter of seconds I was about gone. My eyes were getting heavy, my head was spinning and I just got into that happy mode.

I could move my toes, feel my heart racing and still open my eyes, so I thought I was fine. Soon all I could feel is my heart racing and I didn’t feel like I could open my eyes. The dentist had started working on my teeth and I did not feel a thing! They asked me to open my mouth and I thought I did, but nope, I was too numb. They put a block in and the hygienist helped keep my mouth open.

But the numbing started worrying me. I started tapping my own hand to make sure I was not dying or having a reaction. I thought to myself, “I hope I can still give the dentist some sort of a sign that I am not ok because I can’t speak”. He asked if I was ok and I didn’t really respond. I was responding in my head but not out loud. He turned down the gas and said, “Do you feel this?” Shaking my head, he took it as a no. He said I think you are pretty numb. After realizing I still had control of my head and hands—I calmed down. Everything was normal; thousands of people get the gas every day right?

Soon the gas started wearing off a little. I couldn’t feel him working on me but I did not have that panicked feeling of I am going to die in the dental chair while getting my cavities filled--WHAT A WAY TO GO.

I made it through the appointment and everything is fine. I just had one of those little things that gave me, as Marilyn would say, a fright. I am sure I will post again with the excitement of my first ROOT CANAL (now that is something to look forward to. Just kidding).