I've gotta admit.... this is a first for me.

I grew up going to two or three different dentists through the years and I can't think of a single time when I didn't have the gas. I loved the gas and I never spent a moment dwelling on what was happening with the drill. I remember one time being in the chair and having an awareness that the gas was up too high, and taking the mask off for a bit and then telling the dentist (when he returned from washing his hands around the corner) that it just wasn't right. He turned it down and all was fine.

I don't think there is any correlation between kids who turn to drugs and kids who are given noxious oxide at the dentists office to help manage pain. I think a child who is on track to take drugs because his or her family does not have a value system that... well, I just don't think the noxious oxide is going to make a kid who wasn't already extremely likely to turn to drugs do so.

I just googled: "drug use" "noxious oxide" kids

I got TWO results.

I just appreciated living in twilight while they drilled into my teeth. I can cope fine, don't have meltdowns at the sight of large needles, and am the least squeamish person I know....

But hey, if there is pain *and* there is something not only painless but pleasurable that I can do to *omit* pain, why not?