Dentist Gas Masks

Dentist gas masks are used to administer nitrous oxide (N20) gas mixed with oxygen to patients. The gas acts as a sedative and prolonged exposure without adequate mix of oxygen can lead to unconsciousness or even death. Earlier methods used to administer the gas were faulty and lead to leakages, which undermined the dentist?s performance.

The gas is mixed with oxygen in the ratio of 30 % to 70 %. The equipment used for delivering the gas consists of compressed gases in cylinders and delivery apparatus. The apparatus has flow meters and pressure gauges to check the flow and ratio of mixed gases.

The mask enables a constant supply of the mixture and can be switched on and off as required. The inner side of the mask is connected to "gas in" tubes and the outer side to "gas out" tubes. The "gas out" tube is connected to a vacuum device that sucks out exhaled gases. The gas coming in passes through a one-way valve ensuring that these gases do not mix. The mask eliminates chances of leakage and protects the dentist from its effects. The masks soft inner side rests on the nose and comes in different scents like vanilla, strawberry and mint.

The mask helps in administering the gas in a safe way. The mask enables the dentist to deliver incremental doses of the gas by changing the gas mix ratio to reach the desired affects. It also saves the patient from unnecessary pain caused by syringes.

An increasing number of patients are opting for this mode of delivering the sedative, thereby increasing the demand for dentist gas masks. However, some patients become nauseous and cannot inhale for long while others cannot reach the desired effect of sedation within permissible limits of the gas. These cases are rare and are usually caused by incorrect dosage.