What do you think of when you hear “Novocain”? Most people are not aware of what it actually is. You know when you get a shot in your mouth right before a filling, or before the dentist grinds your teeth? The dentist is injecting Novocain into your mouth. Novocain is a local anesthetic that is used most commonly in dentistry. It lasts for a couple hours depending on how many injections you get. Sometimes, depending on what is being done to your teeth, you will get several injections of Novocain (don’t worry after the first one, the other ones don’t hurt!). Here is what to expect.
First before you get the injection, your dentist will usually apply a numbing gel to the area that they are going to inject. This usually minimizes the pain, although you will still feel it. Next they will load a syringe with the Novocain and give you the injection. Usually it is given in the back of your mouth near your back molars it takes about 10 seconds because they have to squeeze the syringe slowly to make sure it all goes in. For most people the only pain is when the needle enters your gum. Then they will take it out, wait for a few seconds and ask you which part of your mouth is numb. If your whole lower lip, chin and cheek are numb that is usually enough. So they will give you as many injections until that happens. It all depends on the person. After they are done administering whatever procedure they were going to do, they will let you leave.
Here is some advice we found useful:
1. Do not eat afterwards! Because your mouth and cheek are numb you can accidentally bite your lip or cheek and that will hurt a lot after the Novocain wears off.
2. Be prepared that even though your mouth might not hurt when it’s still numb doesn’t mean it won’t be sore. So take some ibuprofen or painkiller while the Novocain is still in effect.
3. Just because your mouth is numb, doesn't mean you won’t be able to feel the vibrations or prodding of your mouth/teeth during the operation. Just be prepared.
Hopefully this helps you be more prepared for your next dentist appointment!
-Amanda and Erik
For most dental patients, novocaine is a saving grace. The painkiller liberates them from all the dental work that's about to be done. But we must take it easy on this one because, in some cases, it causes more than just numbing. But yeah, it also eases the anxiety of feeling something painful in the process. Just trust the dentist and you'll be fine.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the comment! We appreciate the input!
ReplyDelete-Amanda and Erik