Local dental anaesthetic. What's in it?

Question

I'm not used to drugs of any kind and I'm worried about the local anaesthetic I'll have to have at the dentist's tomorrow.

Going without is not an option,as it's major work,it would be too painful.

What's in the aneasthetic and are there any side-effects?

I've asked my dentist,but he said no problem,he does that all the time!

Thanks to all contributors and I don't appreciate jokes!

Answer 1

theyll ask u anyway if ur allergis 2 anything be4 so dont worry and plus theres nuffing thatll cause side affects in it anyway.don't worry..had it be 4

Answer 2

Novocaine, Lignocain or one of their derivatives.

No side effects for you to worry about.

Answer 3

I don't know what's in it but I've had many of them with no problems. It numbs your mouth instantly and you feel no pain. There are no side effects.

Answer 4

Hello,

(ANS) Most dental anesthetics are opiate based drugs such as Lignocain, Bubivacaine (these are the technical medical names) NOT to be confused with the makers or manufacturers name for the same item.

NOTE: Drugs have a medical "technical name" such as Aspirin or Paracetamol but drugs also have a generic or branded name. This is the name given by the maker. The two are frequently completely different & this gives rise to much confusion too.

**NOTE: Dental anesthetics can only be given by an expert or highly skilled & experienced person such as an anesthetist. OR dentist who is qualified too do so.

**Dental anesthetics as far as I am aware are only given in relatively small doses, with the sole intention of numbing or preventing pain in a specific area. Unlike major hospital based anesthetics which are given to both prevent pain along with a powerful sedative to keep the person asleep during surgery.

**The most well know side effect of LARGE doses or overdoses of Opiates is respiratory depression but this extremely unlikely in dental procedures.

**Nobody can say for sure what precisely any side effects might be this is because each person is different, so even side effects can be different in two different people given the same drug.

**Unless you know you are specifically allergic to opiate based drugs then I think you have little too be very anxious about in reality. Anyway, the last thing the dentist wants is to have a serious problem with you whilst trying to treat you.

Ivan

Answer 5

I am going to assume you're in the UK. It's unlikely to be novocaine, as that's considered too ineffective these days. It'll probably be xylocaine (aka lidocaine or lignocaine - yes, confusing, I know!)

Xylocaine is rarely contraindicated but people with the following conditions are likely to be most at risk of an adverse reaction.

    * Heart block, second or third degree (without pacemaker)

    * Severe sinoatrial block (without pacemaker)

    * Serious adverse drug reaction to lidocaine or amide local anaesthetics

    * Concurrent treatment with quinidine, flecainide, disopyramide, procainamide (Class I antiarrhythmic agents)

    * Prior use of Amiodarone hydrochloride

    * Hypotension not due to Arrhythmia

    * Bradycardia

    * Accelerated idioventricular rhythm

    * Epilepsy

    * Porphyria

    * Pregnancy (though I would have thought that his goes without saying as all anaesthetics are best avoided if preggers!)

You will, obviously, know if you suffer from one - or more - of the aforementioned complaints. If you do, you *MUST* speak to your dentist IMMEDIATELY!

All my information is taken from the British National Formulary (55th Edition, the most up-to-date) which is the text used by *ALL* prescribing medical bods (GPs, consultants, shrinks, dentists, etc., for dosage, CI and SE info).

Ask your dentist directly if it is xylocaine, but I *cannot* think of another local anaesthetic used in dentistry. If it is, and you have one of the aforementioned conditions, then speak to them about it.

Best advice I can offer, I'm afraid.