Local anesthetic - can you have too much?

[SallyUK]

Hi - I have been fairly OK with levels anxiety at the dentist recently. I always ask for the non adrenalin anesthetic because years ago I realised it increased my anxiety. Normally they are shorter acting, just a couple of hours.

I really don't like the feeling of being numb, I worry it won't wear off but sometimes it has made me feel pretty rough afterwards, I appreciate this might be the come down from the stress of the treatment.


Saying all that, I had a treatment a month ago, a deep clean of an upper quadrant, I think I had several injections and advised it was the short acting one. My mouth didn't stop being numb until over 5 hours later and I also felt really tired, almost flu like, just not with it, which has happened before (years ago)

I am due to go for a small filling tomorrow in the same area, between two teeth and now worried I have developed some sort of sensitivity to the injections. I feel stupid telling the dentist and wondered if anyone can explain why I felt so rough and it lasted such a long time. Is there such a thing as overdose?

 

[comfortdentist]

Do you tolerate cured meats well?

 

[SallyUK]

Do you tolerate cured meats well?

I am a vegetarian so I don't know. What is the connection?

 

[comfortdentist]

Methemoglobinemia and other enzyme flaws like cytochromep450 can cause you to be sensitive to higher amounts of local anesthesia.
Other problems for some is the inhibition of certain CYP enzymes while taking erythromycin, fluvoxamine(SSRI), and ketoconazole for example

 

[SallyUK]

Methemoglobinemia and other enzyme flaws like cytochromep450 can cause you to be sensitive to higher amounts of local anesthesia.
Other problems for some is the inhibition of certain CYP enzymes while taking erythromycin, fluvoxamine(SSRI), and ketoconazole for example

Not sure I completely understand. I don't have any medical conditions I am aware of and am not taking medication except vitamin/mineral supplements. Do you mean that some people are just more sensitive? I am certainly sensitive to medication as I hardly ever take any. Does that explain the long time to wear off and feeling rough? I think it was three injections but usually they only take a couple of hours to wear off.

 

[comfortdentist]

Basically everyone is different so some people have different genes for certain enzymes and this can make local anesthesia last longer

 

[SallyUK]

Basically everyone is different so some people have different genes for certain enzymes and this can make local anesthesia last longer

Ah thank you, perhaps there was a larger dose than normal or some sort of other change to make it last this time. Appreciate your help