Sedation Dentistry · Promenade Dental Care, Murrieta
Sedation Dentistry in Murrieta: Laughing Gas, What It Does, and Who Actually Needs It
Sedation in my office means nitrous oxide, the laughing gas you breathe through a small nose mask. You stay awake and breathe on your own, and local anesthetic still does the numbing. I don't offer sedation pills, IV sedation, or general anesthesia; if you need more than laughing gas, I'll refer you to an office that provides it. Plenty of nervous people turn out not to need sedation at all. I'll tell you which group you're in at a $20 exam.
The basics
What is sedation dentistry, and what does it actually feel like?
Sedation takes the fear out of the appointment. It doesn't take the pain out; local anesthetic does that, the same as it would without sedation. That split matters, because a lot of people come in picturing being "put under," and that isn't what happens here. With nitrous oxide you feel calm, warm, and a little floaty within a few minutes, and you can talk to me the whole time. You're breathing on your own, you respond when I talk to you, and you'll usually remember the visit clearly.
The American Dental Association's patient guide to anesthesia and sedation lays out the whole range, from local anesthetic through gas, pills, IV medication, and general anesthesia. My office works at the light end of that range: laughing gas, and nothing deeper. Sedation pills, IV sedation, and general anesthesia go to an office that provides them, and I'd rather refer you than stretch my office past what it does here.
- What I offer
- Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
- What I don't offer
- Sedation pills, IV sedation, and general anesthesia; I refer those cases out
- Are you asleep?
- No. You stay awake, breathe on your own, and can answer questions
- Pain control
- Local anesthetic, the same as any visit; sedation handles the anxiety
- Driving home
- Usually fine once the gas has cleared, which takes a few minutes
- Children
- Age 2 and up; nitrous helps many children, but it doesn't work for every child
- Monitoring
- A pulse oximeter on your finger the whole time you're on the gas
- Fee
- $250 for nitrous oxide, on top of the treatment it's used for
- First step
- A $20 new-patient exam with digital X-rays, without insurance
Who it's for
Who is sedation right for?
Sedation is right for people whose fear, gag reflex, or treatment plan is the thing standing between them and getting their teeth fixed. If any of these describe you, it's worth asking about at your exam:
The last two are common in Murrieta and Temecula patients who come to me after years away. The fear usually traces back to one appointment, often a long time ago, where somebody started before the tooth was numb or kept going after the patient said stop. That's learned fear, and the Cleveland Clinic's overview of dentophobia lists exactly those experiences among its causes. Sedation can get you through the first few visits while calm, uneventful appointments do the slower work of unlearning it.
Decision boundaries
When don't you need sedation?
You don't need sedation when the fear is about one specific thing I can fix another way, or when the visit is short enough that the drive here takes longer. I'd rather tell you that than add a fee you don't need.
| Your situation | What I'd do instead | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Mild nerves before an exam or cleaning | No sedation: a slower pace, headphones, and a stop signal | The visit is short and nothing sharp is involved |
| The shot is the only thing you dread | Numbing gel given real time to work, then a slow injection; nitrous only if that isn't enough | Most injection pain comes from rushing, not the needle; see how I keep the shot from hurting |
| You hate the noise | Your own earbuds and playlist; an ultrasonic cleaning instead of long hand scraping | Sound drives a lot of dental fear, and it's easy to block |
| You want to be completely asleep | A referral to an oral surgeon or dental anesthesiologist for IV sedation or general anesthesia | I don't put patients to sleep in this office |
| You're pregnant and the visit is elective | Postpone sedation until after delivery; urgent care goes ahead with local anesthetic | Elective sedation can wait; an infection can't |
| A child who can't sit through treatment | Nitrous oxide may help; if it doesn't, a referral to a pediatric dentist | Laughing gas is the only sedation I use, at any age |
A good number of people who ask for sedation at the exam never end up using it. Knowing it was available, and that they could stop me at any point, was enough to get them through. If that turns out to be you, great. If it doesn't, the option is still there for the next visit.
How it works
How does laughing gas work, and when isn't it enough?
Laughing gas fits mild to moderate fear and visits of an ordinary length: fillings, a crown, an extraction, the cleaning you've been putting off. It doesn't fit someone who wants to remember nothing, or a phobia so strong that sitting in the chair at all is out of reach. For those patients I'm the wrong office, and I'll tell you so and refer you to one that offers deeper sedation.
| What you'll want to know | Nitrous oxide at my office |
|---|---|
| How you take it | Breathe through a small mask over your nose |
| How fast it works | Three to five minutes |
| How you feel | Relaxed, light, fully able to talk |
| Memory of the visit | Usually clear |
| Adjustable during the visit | Yes, up or down as we go |
| Wears off | Five to ten minutes after switching to plain oxygen |
| Driving home | Usually fine once it has cleared |
| Age | Adults and children 2 and older |
| Fee | $250, added to the treatment fee |
Nitrous has one big advantage over every deeper option: it's easy to turn down or stop the moment you want it gone. The Cleveland Clinic's nitrous oxide page makes the same point I make in the chair: laughing gas dulls pain without removing it, which is why it's always paired with local anesthetic.
Step by step
What happens on a sedation visit?
A sedation visit runs in the same order every time, and the first step happens on a different day from the treatment.
1We talk at the exam
At your $20 new-patient exam I ask what scares you, what happened last time, and what medications you take. Nothing is done to you that day unless you want it.
2You get a plan and a price
You leave knowing whether I'd use laughing gas at all, what work it covers, and the written price for the treatment, plus $250 if we use the gas.
3Before the day
Eat a light meal an hour or two before, not a big one, since a full stomach is the usual reason nitrous makes someone queasy. Tell me about any new medication since the exam.
4Settling in
A pulse oximeter goes on your finger. The mask goes on and I raise the level slowly until you feel calm.
5Numbing, then treatment
Topical gel, then local anesthetic, then I test that the area is numb before I start. You keep your stop signal the whole time.
6Going home
You breathe plain oxygen for a few minutes until the gas clears, and most people drive themselves home or back to work.
How I decide
How do I decide whether you need sedation, and which kind?
I decide from three things: what exactly you're afraid of, what's in your health history, and how much work we're doing. A general fear of "the dentist" and a specific fear of needles call for different plans, and a forty-minute filling and a three-hour visit call for different ones again. I spent ten years as a Navy dentist treating sailors and Marines, plenty of whom had never sat in a dental chair, and the habit that stuck with me is to start with the lightest thing that works and add only what's needed.
| What I find | What I usually recommend |
|---|---|
| Nervous, healthy, short visit | No sedation; a slow pace and a stop signal, with nitrous on standby |
| Fear centered on the shot or the gag reflex | Nitrous oxide, adjusted during the visit |
| Years of avoidance and several teeth to fix | Nitrous oxide, with the work split into a few visits you can manage; a referral if you'd rather have it done under deeper sedation |
| COPD or another serious lung condition, a vitamin B12 deficiency, or a severe psychiatric condition | No nitrous until I've talked with your physician; sometimes a referral instead |
| Wants to be fully asleep, or the case is surgically complex | A referral for IV sedation or general anesthesia |
The health history isn't paperwork. Laughing gas is safe for most people, but the Cleveland Clinic lists COPD and other lung conditions, a vitamin B12 deficiency, severe psychiatric conditions, and a badly stuffed nose as reasons it may not be right. A cold on the day of your visit matters too, because you have to breathe through your nose for it to work. Tell me about sleep aids, anxiety medication, pain medication, and supplements as well. If something in your history makes me uneasy, I'll ask your physician before I use it, not after.
Risks and limits
What are the risks, and when would I send you somewhere else?
Nitrous oxide is safe when the patient is screened properly and watched the whole time, but it isn't risk-free, and you should hear the downsides from me before you agree to anything.
Honest limits: nitrous oxide can cause brief light-headedness, nausea, or a headache, usually when the level is higher than you need or you ate a heavy meal right before. Repeated visits with nitrous can lower vitamin B12, so if we're planning several in a row, ask me whether a supplement makes sense for you. Your oxygen and pulse are watched on a pulse oximeter for the whole visit. Nitrous doesn't numb you; the local anesthetic still has to work. And it isn't strong enough for everyone, which is the limit people run into most often.
I refer out when a case calls for more than a general practice should do. That means sedation pills, IV sedation, or general anesthesia at an office that provides them, impacted wisdom teeth and other complicated extractions with an oral surgeon, and a child who still can't sit for treatment after nitrous with a pediatric dentist. I'd rather hand you to the right person than push past what this office should be doing.
Cost
What does sedation cost?
Nitrous oxide is $250, a separate fee on top of the treatment it's used for. You get both in writing after the exam, before anything is scheduled, and the quote you sign covers the treatment and the gas together.
New-patient exam with digital X-rays
$20
Without insurance; this is where the sedation plan gets made
Nitrous oxide (laughing gas)
$250
Added to the fee for the treatment it's used with
The money argument for sedation is simple. A person who stays away for five years because of fear usually comes back needing a root canal or an extraction where a filling would have done. The sedation fee costs less than what the avoidance costs.
Insurance and payment
Does dental insurance cover sedation?
Usually not. Most plans treat sedation as elective, though some PPO plans pay for it when it's documented as medically necessary, for example a gag reflex that blocks treatment. I accept PPO plans and I'm in network with Delta Dental Premier, Delta Dental PPO, Cigna, MetLife, Guardian, Aetna, and United Concordia. My team checks your benefits before the visit and tells you what your plan will and won't pay.
I don't quote insured fees on this page because they depend on your plan's coverage, deductible, and copay. Without insurance, you pay the written quote. I take cash, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and CareCredit.
Alternatives
What else helps if you'd rather not be sedated?
Several things help without any medication, and I use them with every nervous patient whether or not they're sedated.
| Option | Best for | Its limits |
|---|---|---|
| Topical gel and a slow injection | Fear of the shot | Doesn't touch general dread of the visit |
| A stop signal and breaks | Feeling trapped in the chair | You have to trust it, which takes a visit or two |
| Short visits, easiest work first | Long-term avoiders rebuilding trust | More trips to the office |
| Earbuds and your own playlist | Noise | Nothing for needle fear |
| Therapy for dental phobia | Panic that keeps you from booking at all | Takes weeks; works best alongside calm visits |
| Sedation pills, IV sedation, or general anesthesia elsewhere | Severe phobia or complex surgery | Higher cost, a separate office, longer recovery |
Specific phobias respond well to treatment, and the Mayo Clinic's page on specific phobias notes that without it they tend to last. If your fear is at the panic end, sedation and a therapist together usually work better than either alone. The dental phobia article goes further into that.
Afterward
How long does laughing gas take to wear off, and what's the rest of the day like?
Nitrous oxide clears in about five to ten minutes once the gas is off, so most people go straight back to their day.
- After nitrous oxide
- A few minutes of plain oxygen, then most people feel normal and drive themselves back to work
- The numbness
- Local anesthetic usually wears off in a few hours, separately from the sedation; what normal soreness feels like is covered here
- Eating
- Something soft once the numbness is gone, and no alcohol that day
- When to call
- Nausea that won't settle, dizziness still there the next morning, or pain that's climbing instead of fading
Call (951) 412-0127 if anything after a sedated visit doesn't feel right. I'd rather hear about it early.
For nervous patients
Where should a nervous patient start reading?
Sedation is one tool among several. These pages cover the rest, from what a phobia is to what each procedure actually feels like.
Dentist for dental anxiety
How a first visit runs here when you're scared, step by step.
Dental phobia
What dentophobia is, where it comes from, and how it gets treated.
Is it going to hurt?
What the shot, a filling, a root canal, and an extraction feel like, and the techniques that keep a visit pain-free.
Emergency dentist
When a toothache won't wait, nervous or not.
$20 dental exam
Where every sedation plan starts.
Your dentist
Who sedates you?
I do. I'm Dr. Bao Nguyen, and Promenade Dental Care is my one-dentist office on Date Street in Murrieta, near Murrieta Hot Springs Road and Winchester Road. I opened my practice in Temecula in 2010 and moved it to Murrieta in 2020. I earned my DDS at the UCLA School of Dentistry, then served ten years as a U.S. Navy dentist, including an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton and deployments to Kuwait and Iraq.
I take roughly 40 hours of continuing education each year, and I'm a member of the American Dental Association, the California Dental Association, and the Tri-County Dental Society. Patients come in from Murrieta, Temecula, Menifee, French Valley, Winchester, Wildomar, Lake Elsinore, and Canyon Lake, and the office speaks English, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
Patient reviews
What do nervous patients say afterward?
I had an excellent experience at this dental office from start to finish. The staff was incredibly welcoming and made me feel comfortable right away, which really helped ease my nerves. The front desk was organized and efficient, and I didn’t have to wait long before being seen. The dentist was professional, thorough, and took the time to explain everything clearly. They made sure I understood my treatment options and answered all my questions without rushing. I really appreciated how gentle and attentive they were throughout the entire procedure. The office itself was clean, modern, and well-maintained, which added to the overall positive experience. It’s clear that they prioritize both patient care and a high standard of cleanliness. Overall, I highly recommend this dental office to anyone looking for quality care and a friendly, professional environment. I’ll definitely be returning for future visits.
— Ana Morales · Google review
Dr. Nguyen and his staff are so kind and professional. I hated going to the dentist, until I started my dental treatments with @PromenadenralCare. They understand how frightening past experiences can make a person feel very anxious. The dentist was very patient & compassionate.
— Cindy D · Google review
Dr Nguyen is great! Very professional. Going to the dentist can be scary, but Dr Nguyen is amazing and makes the process as least painful as he can. Edith is also amazing, she is very communicative and understanding to situations that arise with scheduling appointments. Found my new permanent dentist.
— Cody Brown · Google review
Great experience! The staff was super friendly, and Dr. Bao Nguyen was gentle, patient, and explained everything clearly. I felt very comfortable the whole time. Highly recommend!
— Nhi Huynh · Google review
FAQ
What else do people ask about sedation?
Will I be unconscious with laughing gas?
No. Nitrous oxide leaves you relaxed and a little floaty, but you're awake, you breathe on your own, and you can talk to me the whole time. If you want to be fully unconscious, that's general anesthesia, and I refer it to an oral surgeon or a dental anesthesiologist.
Can children have laughing gas at your office?
Yes, from age 2, which is the youngest patient I see. Nitrous helps a lot of nervous children, but it doesn't work for every child. A child who still can't sit through treatment with it gets a referral to a pediatric dentist.
Does laughing gas make the numbing shot hurt less?
It helps. Nitrous oxide takes the edge off the anticipation, which is most of what people feel, and it dulls sensation somewhat. The bigger difference comes from technique: numbing gel left long enough to work, then the anesthetic delivered slowly. With both, most people barely notice the injection.
Can several procedures be done in one visit with laughing gas?
Often, yes. Fillings and a cleaning can frequently be combined into one longer appointment instead of several short ones, which means one day of dread instead of three or four. I plan the combination at the exam so the visit stays a length you can actually sit through. If you'd rather have a big treatment plan done in one sitting under deeper sedation, that's a referral.
Can I be sedated if I'm pregnant?
I postpone elective sedation until after the baby is born. Urgent problems, like an infected tooth, shouldn't wait, and most of that care can be done with local anesthetic alone. Tell the front desk you're pregnant when you call, and I'll coordinate with your OB before treating you.
What should I tell you about my health before laughing gas?
Everything you take, including sleep aids, anxiety medication, pain medication, supplements, and over-the-counter drugs, plus any lung condition such as COPD, a vitamin B12 deficiency, a psychiatric condition, and whether you're pregnant. Tell me if you have a cold, too, because a blocked nose keeps the gas from working. If anything raises a question, I'll talk to your physician before your appointment.
How do I ask for sedation when I call?
Just say it: "I'm nervous, and I'd like to talk about sedation." The front desk books you for the exam with enough time to talk, and nothing is done that day unless you want it. You can decide on sedation after we've talked and you've seen the written price.
Is it safe to have nitrous oxide more than once?
Yes. Used in the dental chair under supervision, nitrous oxide doesn't build up or cause lasting effects, and plenty of patients use it at every visit. Some people find they need it less over time as calm appointments pile up, and some never stop using it. Either is fine.
What if laughing gas doesn't relax me enough?
I can raise the level during the visit, slowly, while you tell me how you feel. If it still isn't enough, we stop, regroup, and plan differently rather than push through. For some people that next plan is a referral to an office that offers sedation pills or IV sedation, and that's a reasonable outcome, not a failure.
Ready to talk about it?
Call and say you're nervous. You'll start with a $20 exam and a conversation, and you'll know whether laughing gas fits you, and what it costs, before anything is scheduled.
What the $20 exam coversPromenade Dental Care · Dr. Bao Nguyen, DDS
26957 Date St, Suite 204, Murrieta, CA 92563
Mon thru Friday 8 AM-3 PM · no regular weekend hours