# Has anyone had nirous oxide at the dentist? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 29, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777 "2004-06-29T22:17:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![TheLadyLion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d78d45/32.png) [@TheLadyLion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLadyLion)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/41 "2004-07-01T01:53:43Z")
I had only two of my wisdom teeth develop, and then they were growing in sideways, pushing all my lower teeth forward. My dentist send me to an oral surgeon to have them cut out (couldn’t pull them… they couldn’t break the surface because of the angle of growth). The oral surgeon used nitrous oxide on me. I was pleasantly unconscious for the whole procedure, and just woozy for most of the rest of the day. Make sure you have someone pick you up from the office after your procedure. You shouldn’t be driving after you have nitrous. ---
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/42 "2004-07-01T03:52:21Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > I made an appt. witht he dentist for Thursday morning. First visit to any dentist in years. I’m really a pussy when it comes to controlling my anxiety while in “the chair”. So those of you with dental anxiety, the whole visit makes you queasy? Even just for a cleaning? I mean, you aren’t getting drilled every visit, are you? Just curious. I have plenty of phobias of my own. I can’t stand needles. On the occasion of a cavity filled I endure the drill rather than get stuck with the needle. Repeat a calming mantra, and soon it is over. Never thought to ask about gas, only had that at parties. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/43 "2004-07-01T03:57:46Z")
Huh. I had nitrous oxide once for a small filling. Thankfully it was only a small filling, for the gas didn’t do a dang bit of good! “Ow.” “Oh, you can feel that?” (me, thinking: “Would I have said ‘ow’ if I couldn’t?” :rolleyes: ) “Yes.” _grumble_ Between that, and a few other things, my family and I did not return to that dentist. Then again, my body seems to ignore a lot of drugs. Novocaine, for instance, takes longer to kick in (if it even bothers to kick in) and wears off quicker. Good dentists will do what it takes to make you comfortable, so if you’re feeling any pain, or just aren’t comfortable for whatever reason, let them know. * * * \<\< I want a cat with a snooze button. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/44 "2004-07-01T04:18:45Z")
Jeezus, you people make me want to brush, floss and gargle even more religiously than I already do. Cut it out with the Doctor Mengele Army Dentist stories already. “Is It Safe?” OK, maybe just one more - when I had my wisdom taken out (all four impacted at once) at the age of 14, they gave me IV demoral and I think also nitrous. Doctor asked me to count backwards from 10 to 1 and I think that I just about made it to “9”. Like someone else I spent a lot of time watching the dots in the acoustical ceiling tiles spin round and round… They had me strapped down in the chair and the dentist was literally sitting on me with some kinda dental prybars inserted deep in my mouth, cracking teeth out. I remember waking up every so often, I was sort of aware of what was going on, and could feel torque on my jaw but frankly I didn’t care one little bit. They gave me anti-nauseau pills afterwards (you swallow a lot of blood) which predictably made me barf right away (that’s an experience straight out of a Stephen King novel…Cujo IIRC). Then one of the cotton pads in my mouth wouldn’t come out. My Mom looked at me and started laughing, I was tugging furiously at my cheek without knowing it. Hours later and my whole jaw was still completely numb. Yeeha. ---
**Author:** ![Marsie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Marsie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marsie)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/45 "2004-07-01T04:27:41Z")
Yes, once. Let me set this story up. The dental assistant was an aquaintance of mine. I’d known her for many years and knew her name very well. They put me in the chair, strapped on the mask and turned on the gas. The assistant turned her back on me readying the dentist’s instruments. Within minutes(?) I heard a buzzing in my ears and my entire body felt like it was on a rotisserie spit going 'round and 'round. I tried to speak, but couldn’t. I tried to lift my arms to knock the mask off my face…but they were like rubber. My body was buzzing…my muscles were so relaxed that I had a GREAT BIG ORGASM! The biggest one of my life. One so intense that I thought I was going to die and on top of that it wouldn’t stop! Finally, I gathered all my strength and whispered: “Blondie…Blondie…help me!” (I couldn’t even remember the girl’s name, but I could identify her hair color.) She removed the gas mask and my ordeal was over… ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/46 "2004-07-01T04:40:33Z")
> [@stockton](#): > > How very different from my mom, who gets her teeth done without any painkillers whatsoever. No gas, no novocaine, nothing. She doesn’t like needles and doesn’t like feeling woozy. Cavities, caps, etc - NOTHING. She tells me it DOES hurt, but not so badly that she can’t stand it for an hour or so. She’s 62 years old, and a loaded pistol. > > My mom is a rock. She is a true role model. _THAT_ is exactly why I now go to the dental fears clinic! when I was 9 I had 2 teath on tow separate occasions pulled with nothing. The dentist closed the door and told me not to move or make a sound or I’d find out what pain really was. :eek: ☹ I did anyway. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/47 "2004-07-01T04:42:50Z")
Oh My. See how upset I get… “Teeth.” “Two.” Caps, remember caps start the sentence. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/48 "2004-07-01T07:31:56Z")
> [@BoringDad](#): > > So those of you with dental anxiety, the whole visit makes you queasy? Even just for a cleaning? I mean, you aren’t getting drilled every visit, are you? > > Just curious. I have plenty of phobias of my own. I can’t stand needles. On the occasion of a cavity filled I endure the drill rather than get stuck with the needle. Repeat a calming mantra, and soon it is over. Never thought to ask about gas, only had that at parties. Yes even a cleaning. Hence the demand for something to make me say “Hey! How ya doing? Go ahead and do what you have to while I’m in your death chair.” The needles I can take. It lasts a few seconds and it’s over. But seriously, the vibrations of even a polishing are enough to keep me from seeing a dentist. If these people would just prescribe even 20 mg of Valium I’d be there every 4 months. And it’s not dental anxiety. It’s more along the lines of dental panic. ---
**Author:** ![tanookie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/48db29/32.png) [@tanookie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanookie)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/49 "2004-07-01T11:35:47Z")
I had a horrible dentist. He tried to kill me! Anyway after our little teeth extraction hell, the dentist told my mother to never bring me back to him. She didn’t - she also never brought me anywhere else. So I had this horrible experience followed by nothing for over a decade. The fear that built in that time is horrific. I haven’t found a dentist that will use gas but I did find some wonderful people to work on my teeth. If you haven’t been in a long time, ask them if they will do an ultrasonic cleaning! It had been years for me and my teeth were plaque covered. The hygenist did the cleaning with an ultrasonic water pik. When she was done she did about 5 scrapes with the pick thing to clean up the few things the water pik missed. I was so happy! ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777/50 "2004-07-01T18:36:43Z")
> [@Marsie](#): > > My body was buzzing…my muscles were so relaxed that I had a GREAT BIG ORGASM! The biggest one of my life. Now _that’s_ what I’m talkin’ about! How does one make an appointment with Blondie? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-had-nirous-oxide-at-the-dentist/252777.md?page=2)