Those of you with nitrous experience - how was it?

[ilostmynewunicorn]

I'm going to have a root canal or an extraction soon, and it will be done under nitrous. I'm wondering how it will feel like, and I have no clue what to expect.

I've taken Valium 10 before and I had terrible side affects that aren't at all normal for my age (I'm 19 and pretty healthy): minutes after taking it, I could barely walk, and I had an horrible panic attack for no reason at all. That wouldn't be the worst part though. After the dentist basically came out to drag me from my car into the office, the appt. went pretty well (although she treated an easy tooth). However, when I got home, I had a severe headache, pain like I've never felt before and I was crawling on the ground grabbing my head.
I was rushed to the Hospital shortly after and put under observation for a couple of hours. They told me never to take Diazepam again because the effects that thing has on my body are totally unpredictable and can get very serious.

So now I'm forced to get other sedation methods and the only ones readily available to me is nitrous. Besides having nitrous for the root canal/extraction, I will also be having it for a post-root canal crown preparation that has caused me massive pain in the dentist chair to the point I'm now thinking about extracting that tooth as well .

Anyways, what has been your experience with nitrous? How is it like regarding anxiety and pain? I know it doesn't block pain, but I've been told it makes you barely notice or care about it, so it doesn't hurt at all. Are you able to communicate your dentist? What happens when you see the painful part approaching (in my case it would be the root canal files)?
I was also told that the dentist can increase the intensity to the point where you go under and fall asleep (however when that happens it's a sign that they need to reduce it). Theoretically, wouldn't it be possible for a dentist to temporarily put you to sleep just for a few seconds while they inject you, and then wake you up?

 

[FearfulInMA]

I've never had nitrous, but I'm very concerned that you are describing having pain during dental procedures. I've had 4 root canals, 4 crowns, and too many fillings to count and I've never had any pain during the procedures because I've been properly numbed. Today's dental techniques should mean that dental work should always be able to be done without pain.

 

[ihatethedentist]

I'm going to have a root canal or an extraction soon, and it will be done under nitrous. I'm wondering how it will feel like, and I have no clue what to expect.

I've taken Valium 10 before and I had terrible side affects that aren't at all normal for my age (I'm 19 and pretty healthy): minutes after taking it, I could barely walk, and I had an horrible panic attack for no reason at all. That wouldn't be the worst part though. After the dentist basically came out to drag me from my car into the office, the appt. went pretty well (although she treated an easy tooth). However, when I got home, I had a severe headache, pain like I've never felt before and I was crawling on the ground grabbing my head.
I was rushed to the Hospital shortly after and put under observation for a couple of hours. They told me never to take Diazepam again because the effects that thing has on my body are totally unpredictable and can get very serious.

So now I'm forced to get other sedation methods and the only ones readily available to me is nitrous. Besides having nitrous for the root canal/extraction, I will also be having it for a post-root canal crown preparation that has caused me massive pain in the dentist chair to the point I'm now thinking about extracting that tooth as well .

Anyways, what has been your experience with nitrous? How is it like regarding anxiety and pain? I know it doesn't block pain, but I've been told it makes you barely notice or care about it, so it doesn't hurt at all. Are you able to communicate your dentist? What happens when you see the painful part approaching (in my case it would be the root canal files)?
I was also told that the dentist can increase the intensity to the point where you go under and fall asleep (however when that happens it's a sign that they need to reduce it). Theoretically, wouldn't it be possible for a dentist to temporarily put you to sleep just for a few seconds while they inject you, and then wake you up?

I've had nitrous. It was about 7 years ago though before my fear kicked in. It was mainly just to make me feel less anxious as it was my first bit of dental work I had done. It was only a filling so it's nothing compared to what you're having done.
from what I remember I didn't feel a thing. Not even the needle. Can't remember much of the procedure at all. You can still communicate. Just remember the dentist telling me he'd finished, me laughing at him whilst dribbling all over my mum.. and then laughing all the way home.
It wasn't a pleasant smell.. One I will never forget anyway!
Sorry I can't be of much help, but that's my experience. Hope all goes well x

 

[shamrockerin]

nitrous seems to vary for people: some people seem to get absolutely silly with it, others just feel relaxed, and some like me, do not experience anything from it.

Just remember to breathe deeply through your nose, and exhale from your mouth, that way you'll know if it's working for you. If you don't like it, they can stop it and within a minute the effects will be gone. Or if it's not enough, let them know and they'll turn it up.

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

I've never had nitrous, but I'm very concerned that you are describing having pain during dental procedures. I've had 4 root canals, 4 crowns, and too many fillings to count and I've never had any pain during the procedures because I've been properly numbed. Today's dental techniques should mean that dental work should always be able to be done without pain.

Yea I've been discussing this with some dentists online and they advised me to switch dentists. They say this is a sign of a dentist not being used to perform root canals, and therefore messes up the post-RCT technique. I was advised to go to her office ASAP and ask her to provide me with a more experienced colleague (something she is apparently forced to do upon my request in Portugal, and I wasn't aware of that ).
Anyways the worst part is I wasn't being melodramatic or anything. I sometimes say "Yea that was quite painful" when describing something even when it actually didn't hurt that much. That's not the case here though, it was really a traumatizing, deliberating pain, every time she put the files in there. I'm quite scared what the new dentist will make of that, especially if he says "The root canal wasn't done properly. We need to re-do the process". I think I'd freak out and sue my current dentist or something along those lines if that happened.

Thanks everyone for your answers so far

 

[FallenAnjel]

I had nitrous once. It totally dried my nose/sinuses out and it felt like I couldn't breath. On top of that I"m lying down w/ a suction in my mouth so I couldn't breath through my mouth. Scared the bejesus out of me. I had to calm myself down or else i'd end up in a panic attack thinking I was suffocating. I relaxed a bit, took slow, light deep breaths (not breathing fast) and I was able to breath easier.

I don't want to use nitrous again if I don't have to.

 

[ilostmynewunicorn]

I had nitrous once. It totally dried my nose/sinuses out and it felt like I couldn't breath. On top of that I"m lying down w/ a suction in my mouth so I couldn't breath through my mouth. Scared the bejesus out of me. I had to calm myself down or else i'd end up in a panic attack thinking I was suffocating. I relaxed a bit, took slow, light deep breaths (not breathing fast) and I was able to breath easier.

I don't want to use nitrous again if I don't have to.

Yea nitrous is counter-indicated if you have allergies or you can't breathe through your nose due to some other condition.

I have Summer-time allergies so my nose is not at 100%, and I'm taking medication daily to take care of that, but I still will tell my dentist (whoever she may be by then) that before I go in, so we can agree on some stress signal that I can't breathe.