Dental Anaesthetic

[erdnase]

I remember around 20 years ago being given a general anaesthetic at the dentist. Horrible experience as a kid, but thinking back, I've been wondering what type of gas I was given. It wasn't nitrous (laughing gas), as I was unconscious and I remember it having a vague solvent smell.

I also puked a few times afterwards. Like I say, a thoroughly unpleasant experience, but I am curious as to what I could have been given. I wouldn't mind a blast of nitrous, having heard lots of glowing reports of people being given it.

Who else has experience of general anaesthetic at the dentist/hospital? Any anecdotes or stories?

Mods, can we keep this in the lounge? I know this could be classed as a health forum type post, but since it's more a general discussion thread, I thought the lounge would be a good place.

[bonsai]

I don't understand how they can do general anaesthetics at the dentist - I was always under the impression that they are really complex and potentially fatal procedures. Isn't that why they have anaesthesiologists at hospitals? I had one were I broke my arm as a child and had an injection which put me under. Thought they stopped you being able to breath naturally?

Edited by bonsai on Thursday 6th August 19:23

[Cas_P]

bonsai said:

I don't understand how they can do general anaesthetics at the dentist - I was always under the impression that they are really complex and potentially fatal procedures. Isn't that why they have anaesthesiologists at hospitals? I had one were I broke my arm as a child and had an injection which put me under. Thought they stopped you being able to breath naturally?

Edited by bonsai on Thursday 6th August 19:23

It depends on the anaesthetic, local will be used in dentists. General/epidural/spinal has to be administered by an anaesthetist, i.e injected into the gums for a filling.

I would only assume that the gas you were given would of been the general gas and air. Some people react badly to this and are sick, I can't see it being anything else?

EFA: Sevoflurane gas in combination with Nitrous oxide and Oxygen is often used during General anesthesia followed by the use of isoflurane gas to maintain anesthesia during the procedure (Taken from wikipedia) This is a general anaesthetic, but not as the ones used in hospitals.

Edited by Cas_P on Thursday 6th August 19:31

[andy-xr]

The last time I was at a dentist they stuck some gel onto my gum to numb it and then did an injection, never felt the needle.

I do remember being gassed in hospital when I was about 12, most of the smell was the mask itself I think

[erdnase]

bonsai said:

I don't understand how they can do general anaesthetics at the dentist - I was always under the impression that they are really complex and potentially fatal procedures.

Mine was at the hospital and there was an anaesthnatist there.

[jeebus]

erdnase said:

I remember around 20 years ago being given a general anaesthetic at the dentist. Horrible experience as a kid, but thinking back, I've been wondering what type of gas I was given. It wasn't nitrous (laughing gas), as I was unconscious and I remember it having a vague solvent smell.

I also puked a few times afterwards. Like I say, a thoroughly unpleasant experience, but I am curious as to what I could have been given. I wouldn't mind a blast of nitrous, having heard lots of glowing reports of people being given it.

Who else has experience of general anaesthetic at the dentist/hospital? Any anecdotes or stories?

Mods, can we keep this in the lounge? I know this could be classed as a health forum type post, but since it's more a general discussion thread, I thought the lounge would be a good place.

I remember having this as a kid, horrible stuff and it had a very distinct smell. Also I remember that the room used to start swirling around and then you would very quickly fall asleep and feel awful when you woke up.

[Shabs]

I had a general to have my wisdom teeth out - I woke up (note it was done in Africa) with a raw as bumrape throat from having the breathing thing stuck up my nose, asked the nurse for some pain killers... and got a strepsil. Was pretty happy about that

[rex]

About 20 years ago GA was legal to do in the general dental surgery setting with a qualified anaesthetist and dentist working together. A number of deaths occurred and the practice of doing this was advised against by the GDC. That is an effective ban.

[Famous Graham]

rex said:

About 20 years ago GA was legal to do in the general dental surgery setting with a qualified anaesthetist and dentist working together. A number of deaths occurred and the practice of doing this was advised against by the GDC. That is an effective ban.

It was more recent than that.

I had my wisdoms out under GA in a local surgery 14 years ago - that was more or less one of the last instances due to the situations you mentioned. I had intravenous initially (presumably gas in the throat to keep me under) and I had no side effects from the GA.

I had a few more teeth out about 3 years later and couldn't get GA, just sedation, thanks to the change in the rules.

ETA - although, to be frank, it really made no difference to me - sedation fking rocked

Edited by Famous Graham on Thursday 6th August 20:27

[Nolar Dog]

Famous Graham said:

sedation fking rocked

It's a great feeling being able to listen and respond to instructions but feel absolutely no pain.

I remember clearly the sound of the hammer and chisel as the implantologist removed broken roots from my upper 5's so he could fit the implants.

Brilliant!

[ozzerr]

Can remember comming awake from the old gas laughing like a mad man this was about 30 yr ago.And when leaving the dentist i was swaying like a drunk man,my mother picked me up and we got the bus for the few stops home because i could not walk just aswell i would have stopped to talk to the birds in the trees.Bring back the gas its a great place to be.

[NoelWatson]

"Is it safe?"

[Driller]

We had to administer nitrous oxide to each other at dental school the theory being that if we were going to give it to others then we had to know what it was like.

It was a lot of fun and very liberating. It felt like flying on a carpet.

[alfa phil]

Never mind gassing on hear answer my email

[ucb]

erdnase said:

I remember around 20 years ago being given a general anaesthetic at the dentist. Horrible experience as a kid, but thinking back, I've been wondering what type of gas I was given. It wasn't nitrous (laughing gas), as I was unconscious and I remember it having a vague solvent smell.

I also puked a few times afterwards. Like I say, a thoroughly unpleasant experience, but I am curious as to what I could have been given. I wouldn't mind a blast of nitrous, having heard lots of glowing reports of people being given it.

Who else has experience of general anaesthetic at the dentist/hospital? Any anecdotes or stories?

Mods, can we keep this in the lounge? I know this could be classed as a health forum type post, but since it's more a general discussion thread, I thought the lounge would be a good place.

From your description, it was probably Trilene (trade name), or possibly halothane but it's not generally used as a daycase anaesthetic.
Following a series of deaths in dental clinics, GDC and RCoA recommended against GA by dentists. Some GAs are performed at dental clinics, but must be by fully trained anaesthesia consultants and have direct avilability to resuscitation facilites and the local hospital.
Induction is usually intravenous and maintanence of anaesthesia with inhaled vapours.
In paediatric cases, it is often easier to pin the mask on a child with inhaltional induction

[dudleybloke]

get the injection.
they shoot you up and next thing you know your walking out the dentists.
make sure you've got someone with you though.
i cant remember anything about the journey home and i was pretty groggy the rest of the day.
felt no pain at all and i had bits of jaw chiseled out as well as 3 back teeth.

[Driller]

dudleybloke said:

get the injection.
they shoot you up and next thing you know your walking out the dentists.
make sure you've got someone with you though.
i cant remember anything about the journey home and i was pretty groggy the rest of the day.
felt no pain at all and i had bits of jaw chiseled out as well as 3 back teeth.

Can I just say that no bone was "chiseled" out during the making of this this film...

[dudleybloke]

they chiselled out something!
they done a brilliant job as i felt no pain afterwards and my gums healed quickly.
even eating didnt hurt much afterwards.
highly recomend whitecross surgery in cradley heath if your local.

[Driller]

dudleybloke said:

they chiselled out something!

No they didn't

[Driller]

dudleybloke said:

they chiselled out something!

No they didn't