Dental anesthesia is used by dentiststo prevent pain during treatment. In this case we are talking about local anesthesia. What you need to know about it is that there are two different types of local anesthetics. He using of anesthetic helps to prevent pain in the area around the tooth. What it does is blocking the nerve endings for a short period of time as long as the procedure lasts. Dr. Carol Waldman is an expert in dentistry.

Types of anesthesia

The most commonly used types of anesthesia is lidocaine. Procaine, was the most used type of anesthesia in the past but it is now much less used, because it is not that effective. It was replaced by other more efficient medicines. These types of anesthesia are being inserted in the patients mouth with the help of an injection. Anesthetic can be combined with epinephrineof adrenaline too. Adrenaline is used in some cases because it constricts blood vessels and helps the anesthetic effect to last during the whole procedure.

Types of injections

There are two types of injections, depending on the procedure and the area that should be treated. Injections have the ability to treat the whole region in the mouth. There are some types of anesthesia that affect only one or two teeth. It usually does not work well on the lower jaw because of bone density.

The effects of anesthesia usually last from one to several hours and can give a sense of “thick tongue and lips” during and after the treatment.

Other types of anesthesia

• Anesthetics consisting of benzocaine, eugenol and forms of lidocaine are used locally and only on minor procedures.
• Nitrous oxide (N2O), also known as the “laughing gas,” is linked to the blood cells in the lungs and travels to the brain, leaving euphoric feeling for most patients.
• General anesthesia is used to bring the patient into a state of drowsiness or make them completely unconscious of any kind of pain.

Side effects

Here are some side effects that may happen from anesthesia:

• If you take adrenaline with your anesthesia your heart may beat faster.
• Paresthesia, this happens when the needle damages certain nerves and cause paralyze of the whole mouth. The great news is that this isn’t permanent. We all know that nerves can heal themselves after a trauma.

Warnings

Make sure you check whether you are allergic to anesthesia or not. These cases are very rare, but they can still happen.

You can have more than one injection during one treatment. This isn’t anything scary, it is completely normal.

You should not use anesthetics if you suffer from heart diseases or diabetes. Ask your dentist first and do not insist if you are not allowed to take them.

It is highly recommended to eat liquid food before going to a dentist or performing some big procedure. Sometimes it is even preferred to be hungry. That way you will feel a lot better.