What I Learned About Novacaine

I went to the dentist on Monday to have a buildup in preparation for a crown. Unlike many people I don't usually have a fear of going to the dentist. But I think anyone who has to endure shots of Novacaine is likely to get a little anxious and stressed during the process.

They gave me two shots of Novacaine to start with, and that first one really hurt. They leave you for about 10 minutes to get numb. While I was waiting I found myself doing breathing exercises to try and relax. I supposed that pain just caused me too much anxiety and my heart was racing a bit.

In the past I've had a history of needing multiple shots of Novacaine to get me numb enough. This time it took a total of four which is by no means my record, but enough to get me stressed out. After the first couple shots it doesn't really hurt so much because your mouth is at least starting to get numb. But after the third and the fourth shots I again found myself working on the relaxation techniques.

Finally, after the fourth shot I asked the dentist if Novacaine might make one jittery. I felt like I had had 10 cups of coffee! The dentist said yes, the drug contains something that constricts your blood vessels so the numbing effect will stay localized. The effects should only last a few minutes, though. And in fact they did. In a few minutes I felt better.

Today I looked up a little info on the web about Novacaine. Here is a quote I found from a dentist: "If you have a problem with the anesthetic making your heart race, you can ask the dentist to use a "novacaine" without Epinepherine." Wow, epinephrine! No wonder. Well I guess I'm glad to know the cause or my jitteriness is not some anxiety disorder or irrational fear of the dentist.