Local anaesthesia and medicine at the clinic

Anaesthesia is one of the things that has really made modern dental treatment bearable. The training regulations therefore single out knowledge of analgesics and local analgesics as well as antibiotics, antimycotics and antiviral agents as part of the knowledge you should take with you from school to the clinic.

The most common local anesthetic used in Danish dental care is lidocaine often combined with adrenaline. The adrenaline constricts the small blood vessels around the injection site so the anesthetic works longer and bleeding during treatment is reduced. The anesthetic is injected close to the nerve that supplies the area to be treated and after a few minutes the area becomes numb — an effect that typically lasts one to a couple of hours depending on the agent and amount.

• 01Prepare syringe, needle and the correct anesthetic according to the dentist's instructions.
• 02Check patient records for known allergies or previous reactions to anesthesia
• 03Keep an eye on the patient during and shortly after the injection — some react with dizziness or discomfort (vasovagal reaction), especially nervous patients.
• 04Dispose of used needles directly in a needle box (sharp, infectious waste) — never loose in ordinary waste.
• 05Guide the patient that the lips/cheek are numb, so they don't bite or scald themselves while the anesthetic is working.

Beyond the local anaesthetic, the dentist can prescribe or recommend analgesics (pain relievers) to cover pain after the anaesthetic has worn off — for example after a tooth extraction or a major operation. Which preparation is relevant and in what dose is a medical/dental decision but you must be able to keep track of what has been prescribed and pass the guidance clearly to the patient including anything the patient themselves should be alert to.

Medicines and anaesthetics must be stored safely, often locked and with monitoring of expiry, so the clinic never uses expired preparations. Residues and packaging are disposed of according to the clinic's waste procedures for pharmaceutical waste and hazardous waste — it is not ordinary household waste. Being able to handle, store and dispose of materials and medicines correctly according to current regulations is also an independent goal in the professional regulations for the education.

“Good anaesthesia is invisible to the patient — what they remember is a calm assistant explaining what they can feel and what they don't need to worry about.”