My daughter had laughing gas for her extraction last year, and honestly, it went way better than I expected. She was pretty nervous beforehand, but once they got started, she seemed totally relaxed—almost too relaxed, haha. She said afterward that she could hear the noises and feel some pressure, but it didn't really bother her at all. She even joked that it felt like someone was gently rearranging furniture in her mouth. 😂
I think the key is just knowing your kid and how they handle anxiety. For mine, the gas was perfect—calmed her nerves without knocking her out completely. Glad we went that route.
Laughing gas worked pretty well for me too, but honestly, I think it depends a lot on how anxious you are about dental stuff in general. I've had both IV sedation and laughing gas for different procedures, and each has its pros and cons.
The first time I had laughing gas was for wisdom teeth removal, and I remember feeling like I was floating on a cloud. Like your daughter said, the noises were still there, but they felt distant... almost like background music at a coffee shop or something. I distinctly remember thinking the dentist was humming along to some imaginary tune while working (he definitely wasn't). 😂 Afterward, I felt totally fine—just a little groggy—and bounced back pretty quickly.
But then a couple years later, I had to have a more complicated extraction, and the dentist recommended IV sedation. Now THAT was a whole different ballgame. One minute I'm chatting nervously with the assistant about Netflix shows, next minute I'm waking up in another room wondering if they'd even started yet. It was like someone hit fast-forward and skipped the entire procedure. Pretty weird experience, but if you're someone who gets super anxious or panicky about dental stuff (or if it's a more involved procedure), IV sedation can be a lifesaver.
I guess my point is: how much do you really want to remember? 😂 If you're okay with being aware of what's happening but just need to chill out, laughing gas is probably perfect. But if you're the type who'd rather blink and have it all be over instantly... IV sedation might be worth considering.
Either way, it's good to hear your daughter had such an easy experience! Sounds like she handled it like a champ.
Laughing gas is great for mild anxiety, but honestly, for kids especially, distraction can sometimes do just as much. My son had an extraction last year—no sedation, just headphones and his favorite podcast playing. He barely noticed anything was happening. Not saying sedation isn't helpful, but sometimes simpler really is better... depends a lot on the kid and the dentist, I guess.
We tried the podcast trick too, but my daughter was onto us immediately—she gave me this look like "nice try, mom." 😂 Ended up going with laughing gas, and it worked wonders. Honestly, I think it really depends on how sensitive your kid is to their surroundings. Mine notices EVERYTHING, so distraction alone rarely cuts it.
Curious though, did anyone else's kid have a funny reaction to laughing gas? My daughter spent the entire ride home giggling about how "weird" her tongue felt... kids are hilarious sometimes.
We went with laughing gas too, mostly because IV sedation was way pricier and insurance wasn't covering much. Honestly, I was skeptical at first—figured it might not be strong enough—but it turned out great. My son is usually super anxious about anything medical, but he was totally chill during the extraction. Afterwards, though, he kept insisting his lips had "disappeared" and kept poking at his face in the mirror, cracking himself up the whole ride home. 😂
I think you're right about sensitivity levels playing a big role. My nephew had IV sedation and was groggy and cranky for hours afterward, so I'm glad we skipped that route. Laughing gas seems like a solid middle ground—effective enough to ease anxiety without the heavier side effects (or the heavier bill). Of course, every kid's different, but for us, it was definitely the right call.
