What makes numbness go away

To stay on the safe side, never schedule your dentist appointment the morning of a big presentation at work, business meeting, or date with a romantic interest. In addition, if you get hungry, stick to softer foods, such as soups, smoothies, yogurt, mashed potatoes, applesauce, or ice cream to reduce the likelihood of injuring your tongue or the inside of your cheeks by chewing too hard. The effects of anesthesia will wear off with increased blood flow.

Therefore, doing physical activities such as going for a walk or even doing a couple of jumping jacks can help speed up the process. Another way to promote blood flow to the area is to hold a warm compress close to your mouth.

Local anesthetics are given intravenously directly into the lining of the mouth. Dentists inject them at or near where the dental procedure will occur. Whichever form of anesthetic the dentist uses, some patients will have a strong reaction. The side effect symptoms can include:. If the patient experiences any of these side effects after having dental work done, they need to contact their dentist immediately.

The patient may require additional medical care to treat these conditions. Drinking more fluids helps bring down blood sugar levels. People who are about to get dental work done should also try eating foods high in magnesium before getting an injection of a numbing agent, as this will cause higher blood flow throughout their body, including through any tissues affected by the drug. Here are a few more ways to get rid of dental numbness:.

Massaging the face around the jaw can help with circulation after getting an anesthetic. Before rubbing the jaw, a patient should use a warm compress to relieve numbness from dental work. A warm compress helps increase blood flow in the affected area, while a massage increases blood flow specifically to your mouth, lips, and face to stimulating circulation. A patient should always wash their hands before touching anything near their mouth.

Ensuring their hands are clean is especially necessary if the patient has open wounds or stitches from the dental procedure. Physical activity, in general, is crucial for overall health and wellbeing, according to the American Heart Association. Further studies show that increased activity levels can improve healing times and improve circulation. The purpose of sedation dentistry is to allow a patient to receive routine oral care without anxiety or pain.

The body and mind can relax under the close supervision of the dental provider. Using local anesthesia is incredibly safe and a way to get dental work done without feeling pain. There can be temporary side effects. While rare, those side effects could be:. Of all these, the most common is a lingering numb feeling that could last for a few hours after your procedure. If you have the time to do so, a quick nap could be all it takes to help you reverse the numbness. When we sleep, we are able to take our minds off of the annoying numb feeling, and most times, are able to wake up feeling normal again.

Engaging in light physical activity after a dental procedure can help stimulate blood flow which can help the anesthesia wear off. Be sure to talk with the dentist before leaving your appointment to find out when it will be safe for you to exercise. Stir about a teaspoon of salt into warm water, then gently rinse your mouth with it before spitting it out.

This will also help the numbing feeling go away. Massage Your Skin If no swelling is present, apply a warm compress to help increase blood flow to the affected area. Take a Nap While taking a nap is the opposite of being active, falling asleep can help to get your mind off of the fact that certain areas of your mouth and face are numb.

Ask For Another Injection Some dental practices use medicine that can reverse the effects of general anesthesia. Have Patience Since different types of dental procedures require different amounts of anesthesia, there is no one-size-fits-all answer for how long your mouth will stay numb after a procedure. Make a Follow-up Dental Appointment While a local anesthetic following a dental procedure can cause lip numbness for two or three hours, prolonged numbness could indicate a complication.

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