Novocaine question

[Bella the Ball 360]

Lately I have had a problem at the dentist...the novocaine does not take or it wears off almost immediately. I had to have my tooth drilled for a crown yesterday and he had to keep sticking me at least 10 to 15 times total and use three vials of novocaine to get my tooth to numb enough to work on . He used a block and one that lasts like 20 min. I have hd this problem the last year or so and never had it before. I asked if it was related to the meds I take for HBP and he said yes. I am just wondering if this situation has been encountered by anyone else. It is making me extremely anxious to go to the dentist which in the past was a no sweat situation. A friend is alsohaving the same problem. He told her she could only have 5 vials in a day and she even had to come back the next day to try and get her tooth worked on. This is a good dentist up on all the latest techniques and we have gone to him for at least 15 years.

 

[swald91]

I also have HBP & take medication for it. I don't usually have a problem with it, but he has had to give me 3 for 1 tooth!!!! Sometimes I think its just where the tooth is located too. I went to a specialist for a root canal & he gave me 3 shots too-never felt any work...I always use clove oil before a trip-not nearly as good as novocaine, but helps to stop the pain. I would let your dentist know -maybe they have alternative meds for you???

 

[hellokitty86]

This has been the case for me all my life..I'm not sure what the problem is. They say my body uses up the novocaine very fast. It makes going to the dentist absolutely terrible. Luckily I found a dentist that actually believes me now (before they thought I was giving them a hard time on purpose )

The only thing that really helps me if I can't get numb at all is they give me the nitrous gas. I still feel the pain, I just don't really care I'm feeling it. If I have to go to the oral surgeon I always insist that they give me the twilight sedation, because I am not feeling that kind of pain!

Sorry you had a bad experience.

 

[maelstrom]

I too require more novocaine than most people.

 

[Michelina]

I would definitely request the nitrous oxide. It wears off 10 minutes after they are done with you and it makes you just not care that they are drilling and poking in your mouth.

 

[Macca1111]

I have always had this problem with novocaine and have required WAY more shots in more frequency then a normal person....and I can't use the nitrous. Fortunately, for some reason, the only time I had to use novocaine in my mouth it worked much better than it had before, or maybe they just doped me up really well. Either way, that was my best time with it.

BTW this is the second anesthesia thread I have responded to today about how I'm weird with anesthesia. Strange!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

My dentist knows I have this problem and he anticpates it but it sure does make dental anxiety kick in.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Gosh I hate myself for doing this.....Due to too many allergic reations, Novacaine really isn't used anymore. Its either Lidocaine or Xylocaine. I'm so sorry for this interuption.

 

[mrsv98]

Here is a seemingly strange question: Are you a natural red head? There are several studies that show being red headed has an effect on anestetics and pain killers with red heads needing more and benefitting less.

If you are requiring that much navacaine then it is time to try something else. It could also be that since it isn't working, the stress and anxiety of "knowing" it won't work makes it worse.

 

[DisneyMim]

I'm so glad I found this thread. I was beginning to think it was just me!! I hear ya, I just went last week, spend 2 hours in the chair for 1 tooth and had to have 4 novocaine shots. Seems like it's always been this way for me. I too have High Blood Pressure and I never thought about the meds mixing with the novocaine. Very interesting. Leave it to all you disers to make me think!! Thanks!! Anyway, no I am not a redhead, dark brown hair. I Know how you feel Bella, and all you other posters, I am always very anxious when it comes to the dentist. Good Luck at your next appointment. I have to go back for the stupid crown. Boy, I wish I had better teeth.

 

[PatsMom]

I have often had problems with dentists not getting me numb before they start working on my teeth. One dentist didn't believe me and kept saying it was just my imagination. That was during an extraction - needless to say it was my last visit to that dentist!

One dentist sent me home without doing the scheduled work. He was afraid to give me any more novocaine (or whatever he was injecting me with). Went back a few days later and had the work done with nitrous - I paid the extra charge. Now I just figure the cost of nitrous oxide into the cost of getting work done on my teeth. It definitely helps - as a prior poster said, you'll still feel the pain, you just won't care!

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Gosh I hate myself for doing this.....Due to too many allergic reations, Novacaine really isn't used anymore. Its either Lidocaine or Xylocaine. I'm so sorry for this interuption.

HMMMM how long has this been the case? Maybe that is the reason and it is related to HBP meds?

 

[Cindy's Mom]

HMMMM how long has this been the case? Maybe that is the reason and it is related to HBP meds?

Not sure for real how long - but I started working as a certified chairside assistant in 1978 and have never worked with "novacaine". Not sure about the pharmacology on all the "caines" though. Sorry I can't help more.

 

[J/T Gramdma]

I also have the problem that the Novocaine wears off in about 15-20 minutes. I also take HBP meds but I have had this problem since age 6 or so. I remember getting a filling at age 6 and feeling all the pain and NOONE believed me. As a result I never told my parents about any problem till it was unbearable.

 

[Macca1111]

Not sure for real how long - but I started working as a certified chairside assistant in 1978 and have never worked with "novacaine". Not sure about the pharmacology on all the "caines" though. Sorry I can't help more.

Do you know if that's just true for dentistry or all over the medical profession? Because I know that my doctor said novocaine for my first two toenail removals (the ones that took 20+ shots to the toe each time) but that could have just been easier to say or for us to understand...I don't think they specifically mentioned what they used when I had the cavities, but whatever it was worked much better than the "novocaine" for my toe.

 

[GraysMom]

I, too, have problems with staying numb at the dentist (and my teeth are not so good-not a good combination). Oh, and I have major dental anxiety on top of it.

Anyway, my brother is a dentist and I need to have a tooth worked on that may require a root canal. He said he's going to do some sort of ?nerve? block I believe it was called, where he'll inject the novocaine into the main ?nerve? leading into my jaw on the affected side of my mouth. Apparently it makes you more numb and lasts longer than a typical shot. It's not used often because it takes longer to get feeling back so you can eat/drink. I reallllly hope it works!

 

[MM27]

I have never had this problem until this summer when my dentist was replacing a crown. She had to fix something underneath it and I thought the pain was going to kill me. I went through 3 shots that day in the same spot and then she tried to do some deep breathing with me because she didn't think the Novacaine was working.

 

[MichelleinMaine]

Count me in on the poor responders to novacaine. I recently had to have a root canal and went into an anxiety just a the diagnosis. I often white knuckle it through fillings, but no way could do that through a r.c.! (My dentist gave me a script for valium, but I dont always have someone who can drive me home.)

As said, apparently a connection between red heads and a need for more anesthesia. The oral surgeon mentioned it (when I got knocked out to do that root canal! )

I also read somewhere that the hormones (?) released when you're nervous/afraid change the your blood ph or such, rendering the novacaine less effective. (Something like that.) Recommendation was to use valium/etc to reduce anxiety.

 

[PrincessV]

For real - I'm not alone?! I, too, have had dental work canceled and/or postponed because they simply could not get me numb enough.

But it doesn't stop there - it seems to be all anesthesia. As in, the epidural when I had my DS, too. They'd give me a dose and it would work... for about 5 minutes. By the time I actually started pushing, they told me I'd maxed out my daily allotment of anesthesia and couldn't have any more!

I actually did speak with an anesthesiologist afterward and was told that some people simply process drugs faster than others. True enough - he asked how I process basic anesthetics like Advil or aspirin... yep, their effectiveness on me is usually gone in half the time it should be.

 

[lewdyan1]

This happened to me today for the first time, it took 4 shots to numb me. The dentist mentioned it could have something to do with hormones which I believe based on other symptoms I am experiencing.