What is 'laughing gas'?

What is 'laughing gas'?

Laughing gas is nitrous oxide. Nitrous oxide by itself has some analgesic properties, but it is not effective as a sole anesthetic agent. It is used many times in dentist's offices for its analgesic properties or pain relieving properties. It can cause some nausea, it can cause some giddiness, and it is even being reported to be somewhat of an aphrodisiac. It is now used as a second gas with the other inhalation agents that we discussed - sevoflurane, desflurane and isoflurane. It is used as a second gas because it gets absorbed so quickly, and it thus carries the more potent inhalation agents along with it into the bloodstream of the patients so that the induction of anesthesia is much quicker.