In The Dentist’s Chair a Sniff of Local Anesthetic Could Replace the Needle
Modern dentistry has eliminated much of the “ouch!” from getting a shot of local anesthetic. Now a new discovery may replace the needle used to give local anesthetic in the dentist’s chair for plenty of procedures. Scientists are reporting proof that a common local anesthetic, when administered to the nose as nose drops or a nasal spray, travels through the main nerve in the face and collects in high concentrations in the teeth, jaw, and structures of the mouth. The discovery could lead to a new generation of intranasal drugs for noninvasive treatment for dental pain, migraine, and other conditions, the scientists recommend in American Chemical Society’s bi-monthly journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.
they note that drugs administered to the nose travel along nerves and go directly to the brain. of those nerves is the trigeminal nerve, which brings feelings to the face, nose and mouth. Until now, however, scientists never checked to see whether intranasal drugs passing along that nerve might reach the teeth, gums and other areas of the face and mouth to reduce pain sensations in the face and mouth. working in the labs ,found that lidocaine or Xylocaine, sprayed in to the noses of laboratory rats, quickly travelled down the trigeminal nerve and collected in their teeth, jaws, and mouths at levels twenty times higher than in the blood or brain. The approach could provide a more effective and targeted process for treating dental pain/anxiety, trigeminal neuralgia (extreme facial pain), migraine, and other conditions, the scientists say. Furthermore, these scientists discovered an improved future location to administer anesthetic, the maxillary sinus. The maxillary sinus is a golfball-sized space located underneath each cheek where drug can be sprayed. Delivery in to this confined space may be the next generation approach beyond a nasal spray in providing a more speedy and focused delivery of anesthetic.