laughing gas at the dentist office?

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My 6 year old son has 3 cavities . He has a bad gag reflex, he threw up at the last dental cleaning. He couldn't take x-rays because he wouldn't put the thing into his mouth deep enough, he began to gag again. The dentist wants to fill the cavities because he won't loose them anytime soon, it's in the back. The problem is he wants to use laughing gas since that will calm his gag reflex and help his anxiety. I read horrible things about laughing gas and autism, including the fact that it inhibits the B12 vitamin and depleting folic acid. His pediatrician has tested him for low B12 levels but he tested within the normal range. Should I still be worried? Has anyone had this done to themselves or their children before? Half the people I talk to say it's safe and the other half is dead set against it. I am so nervous about this!! However I don't want him to be put to sleep either, there's no way he will go through it without puking!

I used laughing gas twice with my son at the dentist and it wen't very well. He was awake, very relaxed and the dentist was really good with him. It went by quick and we were done.

No problems at all!

Laughing gas is the best part of going to the dentist for me! It makes everything seem a whole lot nicer.

I've never had the gas before. The vitamin depletion is an issue only if one becomes a chronic heavy user of the stuff and extra vitamins are not taken.

mommyjones and sgrannel, you both put my mind at ease!! thank you so much! idahorose lmao you are too funny!!

I had a cavity when I was younger. They used laughing gas, drilled it out, capped it and I went home with nothing worse then a funny taste in my mouth from the cement they used. To be honest I am not sure how much the laughing gas helped because I never had a cavity drilled without it. But I don't think I lost any serious brain function in the process.

That's funny. When my son got his, they gave him a mask that smelled like bubble gum. (they gave him a couple of choices for smell) and they let him keep it. I asked him if it made him feel funny and he smiled and said yes. My husband sleeps with a CPAP machine, which is a mask with forced air to help him breathe at night and my son wanted to put his mask on my husbands machine. We had to explain that there was only air in there and it wouldn't work like the dentist.

It was really cute.

Great to hear Tracker!! I'm very relieved.

Lmao MommyJones, how old is your son if I may ask?

He's 8. It's a great age!

I had a minor surgery performed while under laughing gas. It was great; it just felt like I was floating and I really didn't care about anything that was happening, although I still knew what was going on. I wouldn't worry about it much. The dentist has used it tons of times before and can inform you about any risks. I don't think there really are any with laughing gas. It does cause the kinds of problems you are describing but only with long-term use when it is used recreationally.

Hey--I checked, and nitrous oxide has a half-life of only five minutes; so it should be eliminated from your son's body very quickly after it's no longer administered. If it inhibits absorption of anything, the effect should be quite short-lived and nothing to worry about.

Your dentist should, however, be sure that the effect on your son is what he expects from nitrous oxide before he does any serious work. Many autistic people have odd reactions to medication, and anesthesia is no exception. The dentist needs to be sure that the nitrous oxide actually does inhibit your son's gag reflex, as he hopes it will. The gag reflex is a natural result of hypersensitivity, not just a consequence of anxiety, and could stick around despite the anesthesia. General anesthesia is available for dental procedures, and is quite safe; if necessary it can be used on autistic patients (some parents here use that strategy). It's relatively rare to need it. Personally, I do OK without anesthesia, but I always have to relax for the rest of the day because of the sensory overload!

I've been under laughing gas before; it went fine. I vaguely remember my eyes going unfocused and getting a stupid grin on my face. At the end, I asked the dentist "Aren't you going to take out my teeth?" I couldn't even feel when they did.

Laughing gas won't do a thing to him, don't worry.

What about regualr general anestesia?

I've been under that before. No problems. I had a bilateral hernia repaired when I was an infant and my adenoids and tonsils removed when I was seven. No problems. I had my wisdom teeth taken out under general anesthesia when I was eighteen, and when I was nineteen I had a surgery to repair a serious avulsion fracture to my fifth metatarsal and then another surgery to remove the K-wire. Again, no problems. I don't think it's any more dangerous to autistic people than it is to regular people.

Been under that twice. Once was to get my wisdom teeth taken out (all four, bleh), and the second time was to get my knee scoped and clear out some inflamed tissue (basically all they could do, stupid soft cartilage).

The first time, I think the anesthesiologist was a little new or not that great at her job. I went under at around 10:30, and the only thing i remember between then and 8:00 at night was waking up at 2:30 in the middle of punching my cat (she was rubbing up against my face). I looked at the clock and then passed back out. Apparently when my mom and sister tried to get me to go back inside, I got all belligerent, pulled away from them, and sat in the middle of the front yard.

The second time I went under just fine and came back out just fine (this time it was in a hospital). Funny little anecdote from the anti-anxiety medicine they put in my IV: the nurse said "Okay, I need your full name, please" right when it kicked in and I busted out laughing.

I don't think anesthesia will have any negative effects; I'm reading up on it right now and all the material focuses on making the child comfortable with the break in routine. If it was dangerous, they would say.

My son's dentist used laughing gas twice with him at around age 7 or 8. It worked well. My son has a problem with needles, so no shots to the gum. He also has a lot of problems with sound. The laughing gas must have relaxed him enough that he was okay with the sound of the drill.

I was somewhat concerned about laughing gas, but not anymore. I dread the day when the dentist says he will no longer use the laughing gas...but, a shot instead. My son will flip-out about that, even if he was an adult.