Nitrous oxide in recent years has received some very bad press. Forward in this is the misuse of the substance for recreational purposes, resulting in it being classified a Class C drug in November 2023. However, this useful drug for analgesic pain control, mostly employed in a dental setting but spreading to other areas of healthcare use, should not be perceived as ‘throwing out the baby with the bathwater’. To that effect, this presentation aims to set the situation a little more in context. From the early years of nitrous oxide development and use for sedative purposes to the more modern approach with purpose designed, dedicated equipment for titration and scavenging, the history of this useful drug has been a varied and interesting one. Now, of course, the spectre of a carbon neutral NHS and the concern with regard to greenhouse gases and global warming, the search is on for equipment that can deal with this pressing issue particularly from a dental use aspect.