Dental shots?

I just got back from having a temporary crown procedure. I love my dentist, and I know he's just being concerned for my wellfare, but he poked a hole in my gum and delivered medicine that way instead of giving me a bunch of epinephrine shots.
Does anyone know for sure that Epinephrine is a contraindication with pacemaker implant / arrhythmias?
I would like to tell my dentist not to worry and treat me just like any other patient that needs numbing medication.

6 Comments

hmm

by Tracey_E - 2008-10-28 04:10:58

My dentist uses novicaine and doesn't have any issues giving it to me. I know he won't do laughing gas since he doesn't have a heart monitor. Doesn't epinephrine increase your hr? I thought it was for people allergic to bee stings, never heard of it for dental use. If it affects your hr or bp, that would be a reason he wouldn't give it to you.

That reminds me, I gotta call for a temp crown also! I've been stalling, lol.

found this
http://www.drugs.com/mtm/epinephrine-injection.html

epinephrine....cont.

by Angelie - 2008-10-28 05:10:18

It's actually Lidocaine with Epinephrine :)

Yeah, the whole "crowning" moment was exciting!
NOT!
While I was lying there, I said to myself, "I can't believe that I'm actually paying for this torture." Hee, Hee.
I, seriously, had more fun during my implant than the crap I just went through earlier today. Ouchy-Momma.!!


Tootles.,
Angelie

Request No Epinephrine

by Carol - 2008-10-28 09:10:39

Hi!
The Epinephrine is used to prolong the numbing effects of the anesthetic and also constricts the tiny blood vessels which decreases any bleeding...However it is that same action that increases heart rate! Because I suffer some with Inappropriate Tachycardia I always request the anesthetic WITHOUT the Epinephrine. For me it works just as well and lasts long enough to get the job done without the jolt of med that usually makes my heart race. So just ask, it is administered by injection...no holes in the gums (not really sure what he's using there anyway) Good luck! Carol

Careful w/certain heart conditions

by sboissonnas - 2008-10-29 10:10:16

As was mentioned above, it depends what condition(s) you have. When they tested me for Long QT Syndrome (LQTS), they had me do an "epinephrine challenge" -- basically they hooked me up to an IV drip where they gave me more and more epinephrine and watched what happened to my heart rhythm on an EKG.

Here's the kicker - when they did it, they had me pre-prepped with shock pads in case my heart went into a fatal arrhythmia and they needed to shock me out of it. (Yikes.) Certain forms of LQTS make one very susceptible to dangerous/deadly heart rhythms when experiencing stress, loud noises, surprises -- basically anything that spikes adrenaline (which is what the epinephrine was emulating).

So... I'd say, err on the side of caution and ask your cardiologist/electrophysiologist if you can have epinephrine in your shots. For most people, it's fine. For some... well, better safe than sorry.

-Stephanie

same here...

by morgysmom - 2008-10-29 12:10:00

My daughter is the one with the heart problem, not me, however, everytime I've ever been given the injections w/Epinephrine, my heart races. It is a scary feeling. I told my dentist what it was doing, so he just made a note of it on my chart & said that we wouldn't use that again & he also told me to remind him each time, as well. So, if it does that to me, without heart problems, I can imagine what it might do to someone w/heart problems. Pretty scary!! However, they always have a really hard time getting me numb for dental work, so they usually end up giving me 13-15 shots to get me numb. So, I'm getting extra Epinephrine, so that may be why it affects me that way!!! I'm usually more sore from the shots, than the actual dental work.

planning ahead

by joy1 - 2008-10-29 12:10:40

I prefer the med with epinephrine only because I don't like getting 20 some odd shots at a time. I just prepare for it and take an anti anxiety medication to counteract the epi. It's not a fail safe but it's worth exploring options. talk to your cardiologist and talk to your dentist. You have to be the one to live with it ao get informed and make your choices.

joy

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