The effect of external nasal dilators on blood oxygen levels in dental patients.

UNLABELLED BACKGROUND. The authors conducted a study to examine the use of external nasal dilators, or ENDs, on dental patients and to determine whether the subjective improvement in comfort level noted in dental patients using ENDs is accompanied by a rise in the level of oxygen saturation as measured by pulse oximetry, or SpO2. METHODS The authors used a hand-held pulse oximeter to monitor 45 patients' SpO2 levels during routine dental procedures. RESULTS The data suggest that dental procedures in general result in a lowering of the SpO2 level and that patients using an END do experience a rise in the SpO2 level. CONCLUSIONS The data do not clearly establish that the increase in patient comfort with use of an END is due to a rise in the SpO2 level. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The results of this study demonstrate that the use of an END facilitates nasal breathing in dental patients.