When does anesthesia wear off after wisdom teeth removal

You’ve probably seen videos of people acting loopy or funny after being sedated at the dentist for a procedure like wisdom tooth extraction. And you may be wondering why sedation makes people act strange. What’s the reason behind this phenomenon, and why is it helpful for dentistry? In this blog from Skutak Dental, we’ll answer that question and discuss why sedation makes us act funny.

Sedation Alters Your Brain Chemistry To Cause Changes In Behavior & Consciousness

As you may already know, the helpful effects of dental sedation boil down to the same basic process, no matter what type of sedative is used. Sedatives used in dentistry affect certain parts of the brain and certain brain chemicals. In turn, this alters your state of consciousness and your behavior. 

In the case of nitrous oxide, the inhalation of laughing gas blocks certain “neurotransmitters” in the brain that cause anxiety, and also releases norepinephrine, a brain chemical that reduces pain and discomfort and helps you feel comfortable and relaxed.

Oral conscious sedation, which typically uses a benzodiazepine-based medication, also changes brain activity by increasing the effects of a brain chemical called gamma amino butyric acid, or “GABA” for short. This helps reduce anxiety and can also affect your memory, emotions, and ability for rational thought. 

Nitrous Oxide & Oral Conscious Sedation Have Different Effects

First, it’s important to note that different types of sedation have different effects. At our Rothschild office, we offer both nitrous oxide sedation (laughing gas) and oral conscious sedation, which uses a pill-based sedative.

Nitrous oxide tends to make you feel a bit funny and “floaty.” You may even laugh at things that are happening around you, which is why it’s also called “laughing gas.” However, this change in consciousness is very short-lived. 

The effects of laughing gas will wear off within about 5 minutes after your procedure is over, and you’ll feel normal and will be able to do things like operate a car and return to work. You may feel a little nauseated or confused for a bit, but this wears off quickly. 

Oral conscious sedation has deeper and more long-lasting effects. It can last up to 4-6 hours or longer after your procedure, and the benzodiazepine-based medication may interfere with your short-term memory, lead to problems with decision-making, and alter your emotional state, which is why you may see lots of videos of people acting strange or irrationally after sedation at the dentist. Their brain chemistry is still being altered by the medication they took for their procedure.

This is also why you should not operate a car or heavy machinery after you have been sedated with oral conscious sedation. You will need someone to drive you home after your treatment and to take care of you for the rest of the day, because your mental functions, including rational decision-making, may be significantly impaired. 

Interested In The Benefits Of Sedation Dentistry? Contact Skutak Dental Today! 

Sedation dentistry can be very beneficial for anyone who has dental anxiety, or who is very nervous about dental surgery like a tooth extraction or dental implant surgery. If you’re interested in dental sedation or have more questions, feel free to contact Skutak Dental online or give us a call at (715) 355-4433. Dr. Lisa Skutak is an expert in sedation dentistry in Rothschild, and can help you decide if it’s right for your situation.

It is that time when you are having intense pain in your teeth. It turns out that you have a wisdom tooth popping up out of nowhere. Well, it might be an indication you are one heck of a genius (pun intended), but it might also be highly possible that it would cause some serious pain in your mouth. You begin seeing the effects of it, too much pain and you have to rush to the dentist.

The dentist tells you that they will have to remove your wisdom tooth that is causing pain. They will inject a numbing agent in your mouth to save you from the pain that comes from tooth removal. That accounts for lip and chin numbness after wisdom teeth removal. Now the question arises: How long does numbness last after wisdom teeth removal?

Lip and Chin Numbness

Lip and Chin numbness after wisdom teeth removal can get really problematic for some people. You don’t feel anything, for starters. It is hard to eat, laugh, and smile. For some, talking also becomes difficult. Everyone undergoing such numbness wants to find out how long does numbness lasts after wisdom teeth removal, so here is the answer!

The short answer to the question, “How long does numbness last after wisdom teeth removal?” is two to five hours. It is because the painkiller injected in your mouth works against the pain that comes with wisdom tooth extraction, and it sorts to numb your mouth against it.

The numbness that you experience in your mouth, especially lips and chin can get really dramatic. You might have the feeling succumbed to a large portion of your mouth. You might not be able to feel your cheeks and tongue in the way that you usually can. It eventually means that you will require to stay alert of the accidental biting of your tongue or the cheeks, causing an injury to occur during the numbness.

This numb sensation might tend to last at a minimum of two hours to up to five hours. However, if the dentist gives you a very high dose of painkillers during the wisdom tooth extraction procedure, it might take even longer than five hours.

Does Numbness Depend on Something?

The overall numbness from a local anesthetic would pretty much depend on the quantity as well as the site of administration of the agent. The jaw’s lower part will require a lot of anesthesia because of the presence of the nerve. If it doesn’t get numbed in a proper manner, it might cause you real-time pain. Your body’s metabolism will also play a role in determining your numbness duration. People having a high metabolism will be able to get rid of the numbness as compared to individuals having a slow metabolism.

The best advice in that order is to not worry regarding it. In most cases, the sensation will go on its own.

Related: How to Treat Gum Disease From Home

How to Get Rid of Numbness after Wisdom Teeth Removal?

In some cases, you might really want to know how long does numbness lasts after wisdom teeth removal. Here are some solutions to get rid of it.

Give a Massage to Your Skin

Given that you don’t have any kind of swelling in your skin, you can apply a warm compress in order to improve the blood flow towards the affected area of your skin. What’s more, you will also need to massage your lips to provide them with warmth. It will ultimately result in an inflow of blood. You don’t have to touch the treatment area directly. What’s more, try washing your hands prior to and after massaging your face, mouth, and lips.

Be Physically Active

You can also participate in some kind of physical activity after your wisdom tooth extraction. You might want to do some basic chores around your house or take a brisk walk. It will increase blood circulation in your body, which will, in turn, carry away any anesthesia you might be feeling at the site of injection. What’s more, you will have a supporting movement that enables your body to metabolize and excrete the agent that was utilized to induce numbing in your body.

Get Some Sleep

While getting physically active is one of the solutions you want to adhere to, taking a nap is also something that might help you get rid of the numbness. You might want to take a quick nap, sit back, or get some sleep so that the numbing sensation that you have been feeling for some hours passes. It is best to do if you think doing some exercise or a physical task isn’t helping you at all.

Get Another Injection

There are some medicines that help in reversing the anesthetic effects in dentistry. So, if you have tried everything to get rid of numbness after wisdom teeth removal, then this is something you want to do. Talk to your dentist about another injection for the reversal of the numbing agent. Instead of having to wait, you can ask them to inject that medicine which will help you to get rid of numbness fast enough. It will cost you somewhere between 25USD to 75USD. While most insurance companies would not be covering the injection, you might want to do it on your own.

Final Word

The best thing to know about how to get rid of numbness after wisdom teeth removal is to have patience. You might have a lot of anesthetic agents injected into your mouth, and it might take a long time to get back to normal, but the best thing you can do is wait. Once your body metabolizes all the numbing agents injected into your body, you will feel your mouth again. However, if you find it difficult to do your activities, you might want to talk to your dental professional. On the whole, it will require somewhere between two to five hours on average to get rid of the numbing sensation.