Should I Drive After Local Anesthetic?
After any dental treatment, your oral surgeon or dentist should provide instructions to follow in order to have a healthy and happy recovery. In most cases of oral surgery, it may require multiple days of special care to heal fully. So what do we do when it comes to driving?
The easiest answer is to make sure you talk to your dentist or oral surgeon about what they recommend and follow their exact instructions. If you only receive local anesthesia, typically you will be safe to drive right away, but every person responds differently. Even this mildest form of sedative can have different effects. In this case, pay attention to your body’s response after treatment and make responsible driving choices. When in doubt, call a family member, friend, or car service to get you where you need to go.
What is Local Anesthesia?
Local anesthesia is a type of injected medication used to numb and prevent pain in specific areas of the mouth during treatment. It blocks the nerves from sensing pain. Your dentist may apply a topical anesthetic to numb an area before injecting a local anesthetic. A topical anesthetic may also be used on mouth sores to reduce pain. Injectable anesthetics are typically used in such procedures as crown preparation, cavity removal and filling, or treating gum disease. Some progress has been made toward creating options that limit the injected areas. However, most local anesthetics will numb an entire area of your mouth after injected.
How Can a Local Anesthetic Effect My Driving?
Local anesthetics on their own shouldn’t impact your ability to drive or reflexes. However, they may be a distraction. Some patients find themselves having difficulty with drooling. Some have run into issues such as biting their tongue or lips, and experience a whole host of additional struggles their numbed mouth. We recommend always letting someone else take the wheel after any procedure to prevent accidents.
How Long Does Local Anesthesia Take to Wear Off?
In most cases, patients are completely back to normal within just a few hours of treatment. Keep in mind, every person is different. As the anesthetic wears off, you should avoid eating and drink carefully. While still numb, you can be at risk for accidentally reinjuring the procedure site or further damaging your smile after dental care.
Is it Ok to Drive After Surgery.
It is never a good idea to drive home from any surgery. Anesthesia can slow down your reflexes, thought process, and can even cause amnesia in the hours following surgery. Additionally, your ability to drive and your judgment may be severely affected. In order to prevent any potential safety issues, take the time to arrange for transportation before surgery.
Our Doctor
Your trusted Ormond Beach Florida oral surgeon, Dr. Drake, DDS has spent years perfecting his craft in order to offer patients safe and effective dentistry and oral surgery services.
He has advanced training in multiple levels of dental sedation from the mildest local anesthesia to fully unconscious general anesthesia. If you’re ever worried about your body’s response to local anesthetics or any other types of dental sedation, please let Dr. Drake or one of his team members know right away.