Epidemiological study on the incidence of medical emergencies encountered in dental offices associated with the administration of local anaesthetics and the awareness of the dentist about its complications and management.

Sushrut Vaidya; Mazin Deshmukh

Volume : VII, Issue : II, February - 2018

Epidemiological study on the incidence of medical emergencies encountered in dental offices associated with the administration of local anaesthetics and the awareness of the dentist about its complications and management.

Sushrut Vaidya, Mazin Deshmukh

Abstract :

Local anaesthetics despite being successfully used for painless dentistry tend to have potential complications when administered incorrectly. Knowledge of these potentially harmful agents and the complications that they are ought to produce and its management should be known to a dentist that may help in avoiding a complication or even aggravating the same.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the incidence of medical emergencies encountered in the dental office associated with the administration of local anaesthetics via a questionnaire based survey, calculating the awareness of the dentist to these rare but potential complications and its management.

By this study we conclude that even today a significant no. of dentists do not adhere to taking a complete medical case history before initiating and dental procedure and thus do not find it of importance to refer patients for a medical check–up. Although a significant no. of them were young practitioners having a significant knowledge about local anaesthetic agents and their administration, a majority of them didn�t practise giving a test dose and a significant of them reported not having the required armamentarium and preparedness or even expertise in the advent of a complication.