Follow @Erowid on Instagram!
Enjoying A Tooth Extraction
Nitrous Oxide
Citation:   David. "Enjoying A Tooth Extraction: An Experience with Nitrous Oxide (exp102288)". Erowid.org. Nov 9, 2017. erowid.org/exp/102288

 
DOSE:
  inhaled Nitrous Oxide (gas)
BODY WEIGHT: 135 lb
I have always had an interest in drugs, but have never experimented due to a combination of anxiety and living at home.

So naturally when my dentist told me I needed wisdom teeth pulled, my first question was 'Can you use nitrous instead of putting me under?'

In preparation for the experience, I did some research leading me to take two steps. First, I took 30mg of pseudoephedrine to prevent complications with my stuffy ears. Secondly, I made sure to go in with a good mindset. To set up this mindset, I exercised the night before (helps with my anxiety), abstained from food for 8 hours beforehand, had soothing violin playing, and picked a very trustworthy dental surgeon.

I sat in a comfortable dental chair for about 20-30 minutes before the surgery, and just relaxed and joked around with the assistants as they set everything up. I was very excited about the nitrous, and only had the smallest twinge of anxiety.

*I'd like to note that during the upcoming nitrous use, I kept my eyes closed the entire time, aside from peeking a few times at my pretty nurse ;)

Confident as I was, I started to freak out a little when they finally put the mask on me. 'What if I react badly?' 'Maybe I should have done general anesthesia instead.' 'What if I hallucinate something horrible?' 'How will it change my thought process?'

Thoughts of this type raced through my brain for the first 30 seconds or so, mainly spurred on by the fact that I had never taken a mind-altering drug before.

I had read that you can limit the intensity by occasionally breathing in through your mouth, so I attempted this to see what the low dose was like.

I felt slightly tired, but more than anything, I felt curious. I didn't want to get sucked into heaven or hell like the experiences I had read about, but I wanted to feel /something/.

After a minute or two of breathing from only the nitrous mask, I started enjoying it immensely. It wasn't trying to make me go somewhere; it was handing me a comfortable pillow and reading a nice story. I was still able to think clearly, and tested this out by doing some math problems in my head.

This completely quelled my anxieties. I was no longer worried about the drug 'taking over', or anything of that sort. In fact, I was no longer worried, period. The logical portion of my anxiety was still there, but the emotional portion was essentially nonexistent.

If you don't suffer from anxiety, that may not interest you very much, but to me it was a godsend. I had no problem laughing in front of the dentist, or smiling at my pretty nurse, because I knew it didn't really matter. I resisted trying to hold hands with said pretty nurse because I knew it would make /her/ uncomfortable, not because I was too scared or embarrassed.

A far more obvious effect was the utter bliss the drug filled me with. It wasn't an exciting roller-coaster happiness, or a finding out you just won a million bucks happiness, but a very content happiness, like sitting at the park with the girl you like. You aren't kissing her or having sex with her, you're just happy to be spending time with her. (And indeed, I kept opening my eyes to look at the previously mentioned pretty nurse, because it made me feel even more content)

Occasionally, true to its name, the bliss would sort of peak and I couldn't resist chuckling. Again, it wasn't a hilarious joke that you run out of air laughing at, but one of those times where you and your best friend start chuckling in class, and neither of you can explain why, except that 'it makes me laugh when you laugh!'

As for its medical use, it did its job very well. While it still bothered me when the drill was too loud, or my cheek was pressed on too hard, it removed any anxiety about what the doctor was doing, and removed some of the pain. (It is hard to comment on the pain effects though because lidocaine was used) Really, the pain and loud noises were almost just an annoyance because they distracted me from the nitrous.

After it was over, they removed the mask, and I opened my eyes. Riding the last few waves was very fun, and I found it very amusing to move around on my seat. About 10-15 minutes later, the last of the nitrous wore off, and for another 10 minutes or so I was left with a sense of contentment.

It was a very enjoyable experience, but I can certainly see the dangers of this drug. For one, during the surgery, I asked the doctor to up the nitrous levels three times. I never really felt 'high' while under its effects, but I enjoyed the effects so much that I wanted to experience its further levels. It was almost like I gained a 'trust' in the drug, and had no worries that making it a little bit stronger would be fun, unlike how I view caffeine.

Secondly, there was no downside to any of it. Aside from getting work done and B12/folic acid deficiency, there is no reason I wouldn't want to be on the stuff 24/7. I recall someone calling it 'the atmosphere of the heavens' and I can't argue that. It's very similar to having a wonderful dream, and then waking up to a mediocre day. You end up wishing you could just live in the dream.

Exp Year: 2014ExpID: 102288
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: 19
Published: Nov 9, 2017Views: 3,309
[ View PDF (to print) ] [ View LaTeX (for geeks) ] [ Swap Dark/Light ]
Nitrous Oxide (40) : First Times (2), Personal Preparation (45), Medical Use (47), Hospital (36)

COPYRIGHTS: All reports copyright Erowid.
No AI Training use allowed without written permission.
TERMS OF USE: By accessing this page, you agree not to download, analyze, distill, reuse, digest, or feed into any AI-type system the report data without first contacting Erowid Center and receiving written permission.

Experience Reports are the writings and opinions of the authors who submit them. Some of the activities described are dangerous and/or illegal and none are recommended by Erowid Center.


Experience Vaults Index Full List of Substances Search Submit Report User Settings About Main Psychoactive Vaults