What does whipped cream have to do with your dental patients?
What we know in dentistry as a highly regulated gas that helps patients get through stressful appointments can also be detrimental to their health. Canned whipped cream from the grocery store has nitrous oxide in it, and in the professional culinary world, a small stainless steel cartridge called a whipped cream charger is used to whip large amounts of cream.
These “chargers” were made illegal in 2021 for New York businesses to sell to anyone under 21 because these small cartridges are a straight source of nitrous oxide that people are using recreationally instead of for their intended use. In fact, if released directly into the oral cavity, the chargers have caused severe frostbite and 4th-degree burns.
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Even mild oversedation from nitrous oxide can cause dizziness, drowsiness, diaphoresis, nausea, lightheadedness, vomiting, and unconsciousness—and chronic use can cause many other long- or short-term problems such as malignant hyperthermia, nutritional disorders, and death. The metabolism of vitamin B12 can affect chronic users of nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxidizes a cobalt ion in the cofactor of vitamin B12, and this eventually can lead to disorders such as megaloblastic hematopoiesis and leukopenia.
But when administered properly, nitrous oxide can be beneficial for patients in the office. When it’s given properly, patients will feel body warmth, a light feeling, and heaviness in the legs and arms, relaxing them and helping reduce fear and anxiety during their appointment. The nice thing about nitrous oxide is that it leaves the body quickly, and you can still communicate to your patients to give directions.
Check out our video on how to titrate the proper amount of nitrous oxide on a patient. I'd recommend you have a team meeting and make an office nitrous oxide administration protocol. Make policies about things like health history contraindications, setting up the equipment, documentation, and disinfection of equipment.
Hygiene Edge was created from 3 dental hygiene educators who love both dentistry and education. With over 40 years of experience both in the education space and in the dental field, Melia Lewis, Jessica Atkinson, and Shelley Brown love sharing their knowledge online through helpful, short videos online, speaking, and working with amazing companies. You can find more information at Hygiene Edge, on YouTube (www.youtube.com/hygieneedge), and Instagram (@hygieneedge). Have a question or a tricky area? Let us know! We’d love to help.
