Care of the Mouth after Local Anesthetic

Your child has had local anesthetic for their dental procedure: 

• If the procedure was in the lower jaw... the  tongue,  teeth,  lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.

• If the procedure was in the upper jaw... the  teeth,  lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.

Often, children do not understand the effects of local anesthesia, and may chew, scratch, suck, or play with the numb lip, tongue, or cheek.  These actions can cause minor irritations or they can be severe enough to cause swelling and abrasions to the tissue.  Please monitor your child closely for approximately two hours following the appointment.   It is often wise to keep your child on a liquid or soft diet until the anesthetic has worn off.