Lightness and tingling
Many people notice tingling in the hands and feet, warmth, and a pleasant heaviness or floating feeling.
Inhalation sedation
Laughing Gas (Nitrous Oxide) at the Dentist in Dubai
Nitrous oxide and oxygen breathed through a small nose mask. It takes the edge off anxiety within minutes, can be adjusted throughout treatment and fades quickly once you breathe oxygen.
- Adjusted throughout treatment
- Wears off within minutes
- Given and monitored by a licensed clinician
We review your health and the treatment you need first. Laughing gas is used only when it suits you and the procedure.
Relaxed within minutesBreathe oxygen at the end and the effect fades quickly.
Quick answer
What is laughing gas at the dentist?
Laughing gas is nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen, breathed through a small mask over the nose. Within a few minutes most people feel light, warm and less anxious while staying awake and able to talk. The level can be adjusted throughout, and the effect fades within minutes of breathing oxygen at the end. At Creative Arts in Dubai it is used with local anaesthetic, after a medical review.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
At a glance
Laughing gas at Creative Arts in brief
- What it is
- Inhalation sedation: nitrous oxide mixed with oxygen, breathed through a nose mask
- Onset
- A few minutes; the level is raised or lowered as needed
- How you feel
- Relaxed and light-headed, awake and able to talk
- Numbing
- Local anaesthetic is still given for treatment that needs it
- Wearing off
- Within minutes of breathing oxygen at the end
- Going home
- Often without an escort, once the clinician confirms the effect has gone
- Who gives it
- An appropriately qualified, licensed clinician, who monitors you throughout
- Where
- Creative Arts, 614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Dubai
How it feels
What does laughing gas feel like?
The sensations are mild and they change as soon as the level changes, which is what makes this option easy to control.
Worries move into the background
You still know where you are and what is happening, but it bothers you less. Sounds may seem slightly distant.
Sometimes the giggles
The name comes from the light-hearted mood some people feel. Plenty of others simply feel calm.
Too much? Say so
Feeling dizzy, queasy or uncomfortably far away means the level is higher than you need. Tell the clinician and it is turned down within moments.
Who it suits
Who is laughing gas a good choice for?
Laughing gas is the lightest form of sedation. It suits many people well, but not every situation.
Often a good fit for
- Mild to moderate nerves about cleaning, fillings or a simple extraction
- A strong gag reflex during scans or work on back teeth
- Fear of the injection: the gas can be started before the local anaesthetic
- People who need to drive or go back to work afterwards, if the clinician agrees
- Children who are comfortable wearing the nose mask, after assessment (see children's dentistry)
It may not suit you, or needs checking first, if
- You are pregnant, especially in the first three months
- Your nose is blocked by a cold, sinus problem or allergy, so you cannot breathe through it
- You have significant lung disease, such as severe COPD
- You recently had eye surgery with a gas bubble, or middle ear surgery
- You have a known vitamin B12 deficiency
- Your anxiety is severe or the procedure long: tablet sedation or IV sedation may suit better
By treatment
Is laughing gas enough for your dental treatment?
Whether laughing gas is enough depends as much on the procedure as on how anxious you feel.
| Treatment | Laughing gas is often enough when | Something else may suit better when |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning, fillings and check-ups | Nerves are the main obstacle and the visit is short | Anxiety has kept you away from the dentist for years |
| Simple extraction | The tooth is straightforward and you want to stay alert | Several teeth are removed in one visit |
| Wisdom tooth surgery | One tooth, partly through the gum, and mild nerves | Teeth are deeply impacted or several come out together: see wisdom tooth removal |
| Implant placement | A single implant and mild anxiety | Several implants or bone grafting in one session: see implants under sedation |
| Long or extensive surgery | Rarely enough on its own | IV sedation, or general anaesthesia for selected cases |
Local anaesthetic numbs the area in every case; laughing gas changes how anxious you feel, not whether the tooth is numb. The final choice follows your medical review.
Step by step
What happens during a laughing gas appointment?
The gas is only on for as long as you need it, and the session ends with oxygen.
Health check
Your medical history, medicines and any breathing or sinus problems are reviewed. A light meal a couple of hours before is commonly advised; follow the instructions you are given.
BeforeThe nose mask
A small, soft mask rests over your nose and you breathe normally through it, starting with oxygen.
StartFinding your level
Nitrous oxide is added gradually until you feel relaxed but can still talk and respond.
First minutesNumbing and treatment
Local anaesthetic is given where needed and treatment goes ahead. The level can be changed at any point while your breathing and comfort are watched.
TreatmentOxygen to finish
The gas is switched off and you breathe oxygen for a few minutes while the effect clears.
EndRecovery check
You rest briefly until the clinician confirms you are steady and clear-headed.
Before leaving
Can you drive after laughing gas at the dentist?
Often, yes. Nitrous oxide leaves the body mainly through the lungs, so most of its effect clears within minutes of breathing oxygen. Many adults drive themselves home or go back to work once the clinician has checked that they are steady and clear-headed. Follow the advice you are given on the day: if you still feel dizzy or slow, wait or arrange a lift, and do not drive if laughing gas was combined with a sedative tablet or another sedating medicine.
Laughing gas does not numb teeth, so local anaesthetic is still used for fillings, extractions and surgery. It is light sedation: if you tried it before and it was not enough, a deeper option may suit you better. The guide to sedation vs general anaesthesia explains the full range, from laughing gas to being fully asleep.
Who gives and monitors laughing gas?
An appropriately qualified, licensed clinician gives and monitors it, in a treatment room or in our operating rooms for dental and oral surgery. Dental inhalation sedation equipment delivers oxygen together with the nitrous oxide, and the level is set for you rather than fixed. The option is chosen for you and the procedure after a medical-history review.
Cost
What affects the cost of laughing gas at the dentist?
Laughing gas is listed as a separate line in your written plan, so you can see what it adds.
- Length of the appointmentGas used during a short cleaning is planned differently from gas used through a longer procedure.
- Number of visitsTreatment spread over several appointments may use laughing gas at each one.
- Combined optionsIf laughing gas is used alongside another comfort option, each appears in the plan.
Who treats you
Who plans treatment with laughing gas
Dr. Firas Osman, Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & Implantologist, Dr. Khalid Saeed and Dr. Kinan Bonni plan surgical and implant treatment with laughing gas where it suits; Dr. Duaa Ameen plans general care, such as cleaning and fillings, for nervous patients. See how we approach dental care for nervous patients.
Dr. Firas OsmanOral & Maxillofacial Surgeon & ImplantologistOral & maxillofacial surgery, implants, bone grafting
Dr. Khalid SaeedCo-founder & DentistCosmetic dentistry, veneers & implants
Dr. Kinan BonniDentistCosmetic & implant dentistry, full mouth rehabilitation
Dr. Duaa AmeenGeneral DentistGeneral & conservative cosmetic carePatient questions
Frequently asked questions
Does laughing gas at the dentist put you to sleep?
No. Laughing gas is light conscious sedation: you stay awake, can talk and respond, and usually remember most of the visit. It makes you feel relaxed and less bothered by what is happening. If you would rather remember little, tablet or IV sedation, or for selected cases general anaesthesia, are the deeper options.
How long does laughing gas take to wear off after dental treatment?
Usually a few minutes. At the end the gas is switched off and you breathe oxygen while the effect clears. Most people feel back to normal shortly afterwards, but the clinician checks you before you leave, and mild tiredness or a slight headache can linger for a while.
Can I drive myself home after laughing gas at the dentist?
Often yes, once the clinician has checked that you are steady and clear-headed, because the gas clears quickly. Follow the advice given on the day. If you still feel dizzy, or laughing gas was combined with a sedative tablet or another sedating medicine, do not drive.
Does laughing gas numb the tooth?
No. It reduces anxiety and changes how you perceive the treatment, but it does not numb the area. Local anaesthetic is still given for fillings, extractions and surgery. A practical advantage is that the gas can be started before the injection, which helps people whose main fear is the needle.
Can children have laughing gas at the dentist?
Laughing gas is widely used for children who can accept a nose mask and breathe through their nose, and it wears off quickly. Whether it suits your child depends on their health, age, readiness and the treatment needed, and is decided at the assessment rather than in advance.
Who should not have laughing gas for dental treatment?
It may not suit you, or needs checking first, in pregnancy (especially the first three months), with a blocked nose, significant lung disease or a known vitamin B12 deficiency, or after recent eye surgery with a gas bubble or middle ear surgery. Tell the clinic about all medicines and conditions; the medical review decides.
What if laughing gas makes me feel sick or dizzy?
Tell the clinician straight away. Nausea, dizziness or feeling too far away usually mean the level is higher than you need, and it can be lowered within moments. A light meal a couple of hours beforehand, rather than a heavy meal or an empty stomach, makes nausea less likely.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
SedationOral (tablet) sedationA deeper, longer-lasting option taken as a tablet.SedationIV sedation for dental treatmentDeeper relaxation, adjusted during treatment.AnxietyDentist for nervous patientsPractical ways to make treatment manageable.HygieneTeeth cleaning with GBTA gentle cleaning visit, with laughing gas if nerves get in the way.GuideSedation vs general anaesthesiaAwareness, breathing, fasting and recovery compared.Oral surgeryOral & maxillofacial surgery in DubaiDr. Firas Osman, operating rooms and anaesthesia options.
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- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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