After-effects of anesthesia

After the anesthesia, the sensation in the treated area only returns after a while. After this time, the patient should initially refrain from eating and drinking. The duration of the renunciation depends on the type of procedure and the anesthesia.

This serves prophylactically as protection against swallowing food and liquid. How long a local anesthesia lasts after a dental procedure always varies greatly and depends on the patient’s individual metabolism (metabolism), the type of local anesthetic used, its dosage and possible additives. On average, pain relief lasts between 30 minutes and one hour.

However, subjective numbness persists much longer. In this case, a duration of action of up to 5 hours can be assumed, which again varies greatly from individual to individual. The localization of the anesthesia also influences the duration of the effect.

For example, an anaesthetic with bupivacaine (trade name Carbostesin®) is effective for up to five hours in the upper jaw and up to eight hours in the lower jaw. This is sometimes due to the bone structure: the upper jaw has a lower bone density, which means that the anesthetic can be removed more quickly than in the more compact lower jaw. Additives such as phentolamine mesilate can shorten the duration of action of local anesthetics and the associated numbness.

They are injected at the same site as the local anaesthetic and develop their effect there. In principle, it is advisable not to smoke for as long as possible after a dental procedure, as smoking strongly impairs wound healing and promotes wound healing disorders and serious infections. Otherwise, a similar regulation applies to smoking as to eating and drinking after a local anesthetic. Once the anesthesia has completely worn off, smoking can be resumed without the risk of swallowing or injury from the anesthetic. However, since the duration of the local anesthesia is very individual, it is not possible to give an exact guide time for smoking.