Denists and anesthetics

My dentist said she would do a minor filling without one to see how I get on, as I might not need one for my root canal fillings if I need any of them done.

However what I am confused about is I thought dentists are only allowed to local anesthetics these days. Also I would bloody well hope they do a local if I need any route canal fillings doing!

I need a lot of work doing to my a few of my front teeth, they either need removing or a route canal filling doing and a new crown.

 

Having had root canal work on many occasions, I cannot see how anyone could possibly go without pain relief unless the tooth/nerve was dead. I would be very worried if my dentist suggested trying without a local anesthetic.

Rod

 

Thanks I need to tell her then, my next appointments not till another month but I don't have any choice as I can't afford to go private.

 

I need some fillings done but I am kinda putting off booking an appointment as I find the anaesthetics don't work very well on me. It still bloody hurts! My Dad is even worse than me and goes to a dentist where they give you Valium lol! He was pretty funny coming down from that!

 

Don't put it off too long, I put it of for 5 years becuase I was too scared to go, its only when they started to look so bad its noticable to other people I realised I had to get them sorted.

 

I had a few fillings done when a kid, then nothing since about 13 or so apart from a fight related incident. My fillings seem to have pretty much all fallen out. I need to get probably 5 or 6 fillings replaced. My main reason for putting it off is 1) it's not really given me any pain but mostly 2) I'm scared....... not of the pain... but the cost!

 

I've had a root canal done without anaesthetic no problem. If the nerve's dead you're not going to feel any pain. And I would never have an anaesthetic for a small filling. What's the point? The injection would be more painful!

 

Dentists, my fave rant at the mo!

I managed to crack a wisdom tooth last year, the dentist said it'll be okay but he'll take it out if it gets too painful! Anyway, ended up going seeing an oral surgeon a couple of weeks ago who couldnt believe what the dentist had left me with. I need a operation to remove the tooth and repair the damage to the socket, he said there's no chance of any work being carried out under anything but a general. If my dentist had done his job (didnt even x-ray it) I could have had this sorted last year. Still apart from having a swollen cheek on one side its not to bad.

 

I am right in thinking they cannot do generals in dentists anymore and they have to refere you to a hospital?

 

Dont think they can since that girl died at a practice in Leyland nr Chorley. I dont think a dentist would tackle what Im having, they're having to cut into the socket to do some work in there so I'll be under for some time. I dont mind a general, just get a headache when I wake up.

 

One of my dads relatives died in a dentist after a general but that was back in 1960.

I've had enough generals to last a life time, its the best way to feel ill, becuase unlike a hangover everybody feels sorry for you It means you get to lie in bed for a good day and watch some TV.

The last time I had a general last year after my hernia op I was very ill with it, my blood preasure had dropped very low and I was vomitting and fainting, but they said becuase it was just a day hospital I had to go home and go to A&E if it didn't stop. I was a sleep for a good 15 hours at home and apart from the surgery pain I was a bit more recovered from it.

I was alseep for three hours for the operation although the opp itself was only 30-40 minutes.

Personaly I would love to have a few generals and have all my teeth fixed.

 

My last one was two years ago for a similar thing, I was okay until I started taking the morphine pills, that made me sick so I stopped taking them and took the pain.

 

They didn't seem to affect me, but they made me tired which was ok while I was recovering but once I was well enough to be out of bed I started reducing them and finished them early.

I still have some for that emergency tooth ache

 

I've had root canal without anaesthetic - was glad to get rid of the damn pain as it'd been hurting for almost 3 years (dull pain), thanks to an incompetent dentist. I *hate* needles, so I just said "do it!". The only bit that hurt was when he jarred an adjacent tooth...

Mind you, my teeth have always been weird...

 

i had a filling done in cyprus years ago without anasthetic. no pain whatsoever drilled nice and deep too :-(

 

Very few dental practices are of sufficient size to be able to fulfil the current criteria for safety and care relating to general anaesthesia,although a few such places do exist in a number of large towns.

This stems back to the early 70's when it was legal for a dental surgeon to both administer an anaesthetic,and then operate on the patient immediately thereafter,without an assistant,and after a number of deaths and untoward incidents,the practice was outlawed.

Current guidelines have arisen from the number of deaths and critical incidents in dental general practice,when general anaesthetics have been administered in situations without suitable monitoring and resuscitation facilities available,resulting in this now being done either in a local general/private hospital,or suitably equipped clinic.

General anaesthesia,performed correctly,by suitably trained persons(in this country ALL are fully qualified doctors,despite public ignorance of that fact) and with suitable facilities,carries an extremely low death rate,with low associated morbidity,but because of what is being done,the potential for mishaps is high,and it is this potential which requires intensive(and very expensive) monitoring.

 

Article here on the role of dentistry in the development of anaesthesia.

Completely off topic but quite interesting.

 

I haven't been to the dentists for 18 years...
And have no problems with my teeth as a result. A m8 of mine, who was an examiner for the BDA checked them recently and told me not to bother going unless I had to!
The secret is:
1) don't over clean your teeth - twice a day is enough, and don't brush too hard. This is because mouth acids dissolve the enamel on your teeth leaving behind the organic framework. Brushing this framework away leaves nothing for enamel to re-form onto.
2) use a proper mouthwash - I use a homeopathic one from Weleda. It also works very well at keeping colds at bay, and helps with sore throats.