I feel as though I've consumed a fifth of hard liquor for a couple of days after the graftings. Usually a day or two after, I wake up with throbbing headaches and lethargy. Kim Loos, DDS Dr. Kimberly A. Loos practices general dentistry in San Jose, California. She is also a clinical instructor at University of Pacific School of Dentistry and an editor for Dentistry On-Line.
Local anesthetic is a drug, and all drugs have side effects.
When considering drug use, the medical professional must consider the advantages versus the disadvantages. If the benefits outweigh the risks, then the use of the drug is more favorably considered. The most common local anesthetic used by dental professionals today is lidocaine. With proper use of lidocaine, the disadvantages are extremely minimal. At therapeutic levels, lidocaine is generally removed from the bloodstream quickly enough to not cause generalized side effects.