Why dentist tells me not to eat until the anesthetic wears off?!
Question:
Why dentist tells me not to eat until the anesthetic wears off?
I was given a local anesthetic in my lower jaw and my dentist tells me not to eat until the qnesthetic wears off, not because of my teeth but because of my tounge. Why is the dentist giving me this advice?
Answers:
Your dentist tells you this because when working on mandibular (lower) teeth the dentist must give you an inferior alveolar nerve block. If the block is done correctly you will have profound anesthesia in the teeth, the cheek, the lip as well as the tongue on the side that the block was given. If you eat before the anesthesia wears off you can potentially bite you tongue, lip and cheek really badly and not realize it as they will still be anesthetized (numb).