Am sitting here with painful toothache and I think I have an abbsess. Can anyone tell me if the numbing injections they give at rhe dentist trigger AF ? or anything else to watch for at rhe dentist. I have a huge fear of dentists and knowing the visit may cause af also is tipping me over the edge.
I also am extremely sensitive to all pain killers...even paracetamol causes me and irregular heartbeat...No advice
Ann
If you need a local anaesthetic ask for an adrenaline free one, your dentist should routinely give adrenaline free to anyone with cardiac issues but some don’t and you need to remind them !
Thank you .....I need something for the fear as well. Petrified of dentists!
The fear is caused by the unknown of your own making. Your imagination is working overtime. How many times do you come out of situations and say to yourself “ Well that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be”. Everything will be ok, we just have to go through the motions. If need be you can call the dentist and tell them you’re a little nervous and anxious and he/she will give you a little pep talk. It will be fine. They have your medical history and will know about your AF.
Just let your dentist know. They have many options depending on your meds and condition. And as far as I know, Ativan has no Afib triggering effect, and it will calm you right down. Consult your GP for that.
If you do have an abscess, the dentist should give you a course of antibiotics to settle it down as the local anaesthetic usually does not work with an infection present. That usually helps with the pain and he can go ahead and carry out a root canal treatment once the course is complete. The patient should , prior to seeing the dentist , complete a form outlining their medical history and the drugs they are taking, which the dentist will read prior to commencing treatment ,he will then know that an AF patient needs an adrenaline free local and it is on record and not just verbal.
Deinitely ask for adrenaline-free injections. My dentist always has a top-up available in case the procedure takes longer and I always remind her about needing adrenaline free, even though it is in my notes. Adrenaline free injections don't usually last as long as adrenaline ones but I've had two large teeth taken out with no problems - and I didn't need the top-up jag.
Before your visit - and in the chair - try slow, peaceful breathing or mindfulness to calm your nerves. I hate dental work too and always use mindfulness with my eyes closed.
If you have an abcess, you may need to get antibiotics to clear the infection. Best wishes with it - anything is better than dental pain.
Thank you for your advice and help I have a dentist phobia but am climbing rhe walls with pain at the moment
But can't find a dentist that is taking nhs patients at this time so feeling stressed as well as in pain !
Too much stress there Sunnyann, on top of the pain. I took my husband to our area hospital a few years back with a severe dental problem and the MaxFac (maxillo- facial) unit were wonderful. Things may have changed now with the pressure on the NHS, though.
A private dentist should be willing to quote a price for an x-ray and exam and perhaps a helpful GP could prescribe any antibiotic needed? Awful in the 21st century in one of the richest nations in the world that we need to find workarounds for dental treatment.
Try warm salt water gargling morning and bedtime I'm sure it will help.
We in New Zealand have to pay for every dental proceedure where I live it's $89 for xrays and $250 for an extraction a lot of people have missing teeth because bridges are around $4000 and implants ,$5000 how do we compare with you?
I've been forced to go private in UK. The NHS manipulates nhs dentists here via unreasonable targets, who then have to go private to survive. I am paying £15 pm which covers xrays and check ups and 5% off fees. My extractions have cost £105 each, fillings varied from £85 to £125 each. Emergency visits £65 plus treatment cost. It's crippling with all the other costs of living here. My mortgage is now double what it was before interest rates started increasing and heating costs are barmy. Food has gone up a huge amount too over here. I'm still having to work at 68! Glad I have a nice boss. 😊
Hi Ann haven't heard from you in a while.
You should always ask for Adrenalin free anaesthetic
As others have said you should have an adrenaline free injection. If you do have an abscess , you will be given antibiotics to clear the infection before any treatment is started.
So the first visit should only consist of exam and X-rays.
Dentist visits are so much less traumatic than when I was young. The newer equipment, drills, painkillers are so much better. Deep calming breaths and just think how much better it will be to be without an infection and without pain. Essential oil of lavender on wrists. Very calming. Good luck
When I had bad tooth ache last year, when I finally got to see my dentist 🙄, she told me I had an infection and that no dentist will take a tooth out while it is infected. She told me to make an appointment for the following week ( which again, was very difficult to do ! ) and she prescribed me antibiotics. When I had the injection, the dentist who did the extraction gave me one with half adrenaline. He asked if I was sure because the painkilling effect wouldn’t last as long, and he had never known the injection cause problems for patients with arrhythmia - the fear of the dentist was more likely to produce an adrenaline rush. Good luck.
Hi
Just had a tooth pulled because it was all filling and still infected
from a filing put in last December. I had infection after the filling.
It should have been pulled then.
Af is persistent but controlled.
I'm on CCB Diltiazem 120mg AM and PM BB Bisoprolol 2.5mg.
I had 4 injections top gum and then a 5th in the roof of my mouth.
I think it was an adrenaline injection.
I had OXY-NORM after op last year. And paracetamol. You can have morphen with paracetamel. No Anti.inflammatories because I'm on PRADAXA twice day I delayed AM. An anti .co.agulant.
Not sure whether you take AF drugs or anti.co.agulant.
Take care, JOY
if you are prone to tachycardia with your afib ask for the anaesthetic without the adrenaline
Good luck snd hope you feel better soon
Hi Sunnyann
I am a ‘recovering’ high rate permanent AF now in NSR since successful cardio version in July 2022. I am on bisoprolol 5mg and Apixaban bd last week I had the worst tooth abscess I have ever had in my life I had a face like half a football (my partner’s description) I’m also allergic to penicillin so dentist put me on metronidazole 400mg tds for five days and told me to rub salt into the tooth and use a warm water wash (same temperature you drink tea/coffee) to allow the salt to dissolve and rinse out ( I thought the salt treatment worked better than the antibiotic). My son (a doctor) told me only the tooth out would really stop the pain which lasted until end of fifth day of antibiotic. I had the tooth out on Tuesday with four anaesthetic injections and four dissolvable sutures with absolutely no AF or bleeding problems with my dentist choosing the technique based on my medication and AF history. I also have rheumatoid bone and eye disease and when my eye disease is out of control they have no choice but to do injections into my eye. I had one of these in January this year and had a very bad reaction to the adrenaline but luckily it didn’t throw me into AF the doctors had discussed me with the pharmacist but they had no choice but to give it as it is pretty impossible NOT to hit a blood vessel when you give injections into the eye. I had a Cardiology appointment soon after and discussed my reaction to the adrenaline with the Cardiologist Consultant he explained to me that we cannot be allergic to adrenaline as it circulates in our bodies naturally but that my severe reaction means I need to ask eye doctors to use injections with no adrenaline (they couldn’t do that as I understood) or the very smallest amount of adrenaline possible. Luckily I have a first class NHS dentist for my hour of need I did mention my medication but he had already planned the procedure based on my medication and history. Good luck if in terrible pain I wish you the swiftest release. Hugs and love xx
The dentist can use an adrenaline free injection. It works just as we ll but for lengthy treatments it doesn't last quite as long. I always have it or my heart rate bounces all over the place. Just ask.
I recently had a tooth extracted, I have permanent AF and discussed the adrenaline free option with my dentist and GP, both said I should go for the adrenaline one to help suppress bleeding. However, both agreed I didn't need to stop taking my Apixaban, big big mistake. Blood spurting for almost 12 hours as the site wouldn't clot. Extraction was a breeze compared to the bleeding but no hint of AF rearing its head despite being extremely stressed before and after.
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