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Topical Anesthetic Gels Help Patients Undergo Less Painful Dental Treatment
Thereare thousands of people who don’t see a dentist because of their fearof the injections needed for dental work or their discomfort whentheir teeth are cleaned. Since dental care is such an important partof a person’s overall health, researchers have developed techniquesand products that can help alleviate the pain that causes the fear inpatients. A TopicalAnesthetic Gelis one of the products dentists use to help patients feel betterabout getting needed injections.
ATopical Anesthetic Gel numbs the soft tissues of the mouth,such as the gums and the inside of the mouth. It is typically givento numb the area where an anesthetic injection will be administered,so that the needle won’t cause as much pain. It’s usually appliedwith a cotton swab and left on the soft tissue for about a minutebefore the injection is given. Research has shown that for maximumeffectiveness the gel needs to remain on the soft tissue for at least60 seconds before the injection is given. Otherwise, itspain-reducing properties won’t work efficiently. The gel doesn’tprovide pain reduction when a tooth needs to be treated. Toaccomplish this, an injection of an anesthetic must be given to numbthe tooth’s nerves.
Themost common type anesthetic found in a Topical Anesthetic Gelis benzocaine, which is used widely in over the counter products thatrelieve pain, such as throat lozenges, creams for sunburn or poisonivy, or gels that treat mouth ulcers. Some people who are allergic tobenzocaine aren’t able to tolerate its application topical gel,although such a small amount of benzocaine is introduced into thesoft tissue of the mouth that most people aren’t affected even ifthey do have an allergy. Lidocaine is another topical anesthetic thatdentists use, although it is a more potent anesthetic. Some dentistshave had good results with a topical gel called Oraqix, whichcombines lidocaine and prilocaine, although this product is generallyused in cleanings for people with very sensitive teeth.
Atypical Topical Anesthetic Gel offers the benefits of preventingexcessive salivation during the dental procedure as well as numbingan area of soft tissue. Another benefit is an absence of a bitteraftertaste. Many gels now come in different flavors, such as cherry,mint, strawberry, bubble gum, and even pina colada. The benefits ofusing topical gels in dental procedures outweigh their minimaldrawbacks when they can help frightened patients undergo necessarytreatment.