Are you scared of visiting the dentist? - Do you get anxious just thinking of making an appointment? - Do you get apprehensive sitting in the waiting area or on the dental chair? - Do you think that you might have a dental phobia? ​ - If any or all of the above apply to you or a member of your family/friend, know that you are not alone. Dental phobia affects a large number of our population. According to the Adult Dental Health Survey carried out in 2009, approximately 30% of adults have said that having their tooth drilled makes them extremely anxious, same applies to having a local anaesthetic injection. - If you fall into this category of the population, Happy Air or Inhalation Sedation might be just what you need! - Inhalation sedation is a way of relaxing dental patients before and during treatment using gas and air (a mixture of Nitrous Oxide and Oxygen). ​ What is Happy Air Sedation? Happy Air Sedation is a form of anxiety control employed by dentists to make your dental experience a pleasant one. It is offered as an alternative to Intravenous Sedation or General Anaesthesia and can be used in most dental procedures. It means breathing a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen through a mask and helps create a calm and pleasant feeling.It can be used for both adults and children. Although you may feel a little drowsy, you will be conscious throughout the procedure. ​ Why choose Inhalation Sedation? - It’s a very comfortable procedure, you are simply breathing through a nosepiece - It’s great for those who want to feel more relaxed while being treated by the dentist - It’s a very effective method of calming a phobic patient during a dental procedure - It’s very safe, you can’t overdose on gas and air - There are no lasting effects, you will be back to normal after about 30 minutes ​ Is it a safe procedure? - All our staff involved in this form of treatment are well trained and have carried out this procedure on many patients. The gas and air mixture leaves the body after a few breaths of plain oxygen. There are no obvious side effects to worry about. - The levels of oxygen and nitrous oxide can be adjusted to suit the needs of each patient. This means we can ensure you are breathing the mix that would make you feel most relaxed. Your recovery is quick and you are able to return to your busy schedule after half an hour without needing someone to look after you. - At Bank Street Dental, we are also able to offer this form of treatment to children who are a bit nervous to make their dental experience much better. Many of our adult dental patients recall bad memories of dental treatment as children. With this form of treatment, we can carry out dental treatment for kids while they can take a ‘magic carpet ride’ with the Happy Air. ​ How do you get this form of treatment? - Call the practice for a friendly chat or to make an appointment to discuss how we can help. You could also email us at bankstreet47@gmail.com with details of your enquiry.