What is nitrous oxide?
Nitrous oxide is a colorless, ordorless, inert gas, which is administered to dental patients to reduce anxiety. It produces a sense of well-being and relaxation. It is always administered with oxygen. Nitrous oxide, whose chemical formula is N2O, was first used in England, in 1800, by Sir Humphrey Davy to control the pain associated with a wisdom tooth. Nitrous oxide/oxygen inhalation is one of the safest sedation techniques used in dentistry today. Children stay fully conscious when the inhalation mixture is administered. Nitrous oxide works by depressing activity in the part of the brain called the cerebrum – thus creating an altered state of awareness. It is eliminated from the body through normal breathing. The inhalation mixture is administered via a soft nosepiece and the mixture of gases is inhaled through the nose. The nosepiece is attached by small hoses to the regulator connected to the nitrous oxide and oxygen tanks.
Nitrous oxide is a gas that’s combined with oxygen to produce a calming effect and a sense of well being when inhaled. Many dentists use nitrous oxide to help patients relax during dental treatments. When the dental procedure is over, patients breathe only oxygen for a few minutes to eliminate the effects of the nitrous oxide. Unlike other sedations, the patient should have a clear head within minutes of coming off of the nitrous oxide allowing them to function normally with no lingering effects. Nitrous oxide is also known as laughing gas.
Popularly known as laughing gas, nitrous oxide is a gas that is non-flammable and colorless. One of the most common uses is in the field of dentistry, where the gas is administered to the patient as part of the preparation process for a dental procedure. However, nitrous oxide can also be used in several other applications that are not connected with dentistry. One of the other uses for nitrous oxide has to do with rocketry. The gas functions as an oxidizing agent in the motor of the rocket, and is sometimes used in hybrid systems that pair the nitrous oxide with some other form of propellant. As a bonus, nitrous oxide can be broken down and used to create breathable air in an emergency situation. Along with rocket motors, nitrous oxide can also be used in different designs of an internal combustion engine. This application is not unusual with vehicles that are designed for racing purposes. In some engines, the gas serves as an agent that allows the engine to more efficiently use the f
