I've had a filing today. Droopy mouth and numbness - including my ear - are recovering now. The injection for anaesthetic seemed to take 5 mins or more. Thought it would never end. He said the slower he does the injection the less painful it is.
My dentist is brilliant. Very gentle and kind. None of it hurt me at all.
He has replaced an old filing today. He's done a couple before. I only have one old grey/metallic filing left now. All my new ones are white and virtually invisible. (Yes I have a few. Terrible teeth).
But, the last few times I've had a filing and anaesthetic it has wiped me out! I came home shattered and with a headache. Paracetamol, ibuprofen and bed for me.
Anyone else get this?
Written by
Wendy39
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I've been reading your recent posts and I feel for you - what a rotten time you're having. I don't know if my experience is relevant but some dental anaesthetics have a tiny amount of adrenaline in them - this allows less anaesthetic to be used. I have been found to be sensitive to the adrenaline as it causes my muscles to spasm and I haven't the strength to withstand the tremor. The last couple of times took 4 or 5 days to recover and it affected my chest too.
I think you are right, as always. Did wonder about what was in the anaesthetic but then dismissed it, as he knows my illness and has a list of my meds. Just another lupus / AI quirky feature. Shouldn't always link things I know. But I don't think others have to rest after a filing?! Thanks Twitchy. X
I did feel a bit hot & shakey a couple of times during the procedure, like I might pass out. But luckily only very briefly and I didn't mention it. Thought it might be just me. I'm due on too and that always makes me feel worse too. I'm OK really. I shouldn't moan. Plenty of people worse off than me. Thank you. X
Thank you so much Paul! So my thoughts about the lights setting off a very instant flare yesterday were probably right! I actually have an old school friend who is a dentist in Bristol and so am going to message him and ask about it. He always says, if I have any questions re lupus and dental stuff, ask him. So I will. Thank you again. Wendy PS Have a good Bank Holiday weekend.
It's possible. Do you normally react quite quickly to other UV/light exposure?
I have heard of one other case in the past where someone's lupus was triggered by dentist lights, so it's not unheard of. It will depend on the individual's sensitivity and the equipment being used.
I recently had a tooth out (first one for years) and ended up a week later in hospital with serious breathing problems. My neighbour called an ambulance & the paramedic who came to the house thought the tooth extraction might be to blame as did one of the consultants I saw in hospital. Nothing confirmed yet - have to go back for further tests in October, should know more then. Won't be rushing back to the dentist though !! 😀
Wow! You poor thing! Do you think it was a lupus flare induced by the visit to the dentist? Beginning to think something about yesterday at the dentist made me feel very ill. But I am much better today. Please let us know the outcome of the tests etc. Wendy
Hi wendy , i get very stressed going to the dentist. I cant open my jaw fully as it has become restricted so thats a problem for a start then trying to keep my mouth open for the dentist to work is a huge effort. Combine all this with a dry mouth and it is all exhausting, i come home and im flat out and sore . I do sympathise with how you feel , my dentist is very good about it as I probably dont make her work any easier. I hope you have recovered again 🌸🌸
Bless you. That sounds awful for you. I don't think I get stressed about going. And I don't have Sjogrens which makes it worse, am I right? I do find it a struggle to keep my mouth wide open for that amount of time, but otherwise I'm not really bothered. Like I said, he is such a good, gentle dentist that I have no concerns about pain etc. I am just curious now. Something set me off yesterday. I felt so ill. And I'd never made a connection before. But it was very quick for me to react. I was sat there under his spot light for about 40-45 mins though. Thanks for your kind reply. Wendy
Hope you're starting to feel better. What a welcome back off you holiday! I haven't been to the dentist for a couple of years. Last root canal i had, he used 6 cartridges over the hour to try to keep me numb - I was told to ask for non-adrenalin novacaine -don't ever!! I felt like hell for days afterwards but just thought I was being 'over dramatic' 😑 It has put me off so badly but I need to be brave 👀👀👀 Need a filling...
Paul - I didn't realise the blue light was bad! The things you learn every day - Thank you.
Wendy - plenty of rest! I know you've got a busy weekend but remember! There's always take out 😂😂😂
Paul's reply has confirmed my fears re the light at the dentist. When I did a quick google last night, I realised that there might have been an issue. I was sat under the light for about 40-45 minutes. Plus then the filing curing light thing they use. Was obviosuly just too much for me.
I felt so bad last night. I couldn't settle. Couldn't sleep. I shouted at my kids and my husband, unnecessarily. Then ended up crying inconsolably. Oh dear. I had to make lots of aplogises. They didn't realise how ill I had felt. My husband told me that I must tell them, so that they can help.
I went out to do a food shop this morning, as cupboards are bare and when I got back my lovely husband has tidied the house, mopped the kitchen floor, my son is mowing the grass and the other 2 are washing my car. Bless them. Don't know where I would be without them. I am blessed.
I will be pacing myself this weekend, no fear. My guests will be pulling their weight. Ha ha.
I really hope that you have a good BH weekend. The sun is shining here and the hundreds of campers in the big site next door to us are very happy.
You know me too well 😂😂 goof bh is definitely up my alley...
Pacing yourself is poo 🙄 I really struggle. I couldn't cope without my family. I understand how frustrated you get and getting upset with your family. They know you don't mean it and they sound adorable 😍 It's lovely to hear you have good friends too.
I'm hoping the weather here in Cheshire stays fine - open air theatre on Sunday 😲😲😲
Thank you. I feel much better today. But tired. What's new hey? Ha ha. I only have one grey/metallic filing left now, but I will not be rushing back to get that one re-done any time soon. x
Sounds like it could be the light Wendy. In the past I've had the going hot and feeling faint sensation with an injection (pre illness) but didn't the last time ( first post illness). That was the one that somehow hit a nerve that made that side of my face droop. Scary, but recovered quickly.
I always have to have the holder thingy to keep my mouth open. Partly thanks to a small mouth and partly because I can't keep it open more than 20 secs before my lips start wobbling!
I think you are right. I didn't really think about the hot, shakey feeling too much at the time but last night when I felt so bad, I remembered it. I have messaged my dentist friend to see what his thought are. I'll let you all know. Best wishes, Wendy x
I can empathise with you Hun . I always feel extremely exhausted after a filling worse with a tooth extraction as I've suffered with (reoccurring dry socket)
But yep I totally understand the wiped out feeling you describe. It's quite strange because as soon As I get home from the dentist I have to go to bed for a few hours. Takes it out of me.. x
I have had problems for years with adrenaline at the dentist after a few times of almost passing out and racing heart going on for weeks afterwards.
They have been trying different anaesthetics on me and I was reacting badly to all of them, unless the straight novacaine which is so ineffective and needs so many top ups .
I now go privately to a state of the art guy who doesnt use injections at all nor drills ,but some new ablation type of machine. It is totally fantastic and I feel fine after it when before it used to take me two weeks to get over a dental visit.
It might not be suitable for any particularily deep fillings but has been a godsend for me.
Have never had a problem with the blue light. Will the special glasses they make you wear not protect you from it?
I think to me it sounds like you are reacting to the adrenaline.
Thanks for replying. I'll look into the adrenaline thing.
They do give me glasses to protect my eyes from the light, but what about my head and face? That's still exposed. And the blue spectrum light is much stronger than normal light, so 40-45 mins would be quite a lot.
Anyway, a few things to consider here. I will have to discuss it with him next time I go.
He is a private dentists, there are only waiting lists for NHS here.
What a very interesting topic! Hope you are rested and improved now.
Yes, I have become very, very, sensitive at dentist lately.
My dentist, a yours, is warm, kind, understanding. He started replacing 4 old fillings as I have been diagnosed allergic to metal, cobalt, nickel. So far, he has replaced 2. I am not rushing for next one, but will get them done.
First replacement, I experienced a mucus cyst swelling, opposite side of mouth to filling! I also, felt very unwell with fatigue, burning and tingling skin. (I get frequent mucous cysts now but guess all to do with autoimmune).
Second filling, oh my! Filling being replaced was 36 yrs old, dentist had date on record as he did it. It was a large filling, it was difficult for him, as it came away in pieces. I used to have filings without anaesthetic, I guess, because he so gentle and kind, and I wasn't sensitive as no illness.
The second filling replacement was so painful! I felt the pain more in my lip. Dentist though calm, was a little troubled to understand. He offered more anaesthetic, which I agreed to readily, I could see he was confused why I was in such pain. Filling was completed; I suffered extreme fatigue and felt so ill getting home.
I managed, somehow, to take pain relief for my blinding headache, visual disturbance, and i slept (crashed). I awoke in agony an hour later, my lip had an enormous blister that had burst. I slept little that night, took pain relief throughout night, and the wound on my lip and the swelling was larger by morning. I went back to the dental practice, like you, like my dentist, I was curious.
He suggested I get tested for latex allergy, yet, he couldn't make sense of why I had reacted, as he told me he used non latex gloves. Thought protein powder in gloves???? Test came back clear.
Now, you have given me food for thought. I read the link also, thank you. Could the light have burned my lip? Was it the light in the probe? Dentist doesn't think due to tools (metal), as stainless steel..... he in a quandary too..
I would appreciate hearing what your dentist friend has to say. Maybe, my next visit I will put my wrap around light protection sunglasses on top of dentist glasses... wear my sun hat, and a polo neck sweater, hmmm...
Interestingly, I take an age with dermatology lotions n potions, cleaning and managing skin, eyes, teeth, mouth, before bed. I am in our small NetSuite, light right above my head, sometimes, I am so long at the sink below, I feel warm and my eyes blurring.. I put blurring down to end of day fatigue... I often get into bed and feel burning, tingling, skin sensations - .... your post makes me quandary...
I think this light issue needs further investigation...
Hello again Wendy. How interesting to read that there could be a link with the lighting. I recently posted querying the cause of my flare that started just a few hours after a hospital appointment as so often happens. Bacardibabe76 suggested it could be the lighting - what a genius suggestion, it had literally never occurred to me. I've been very tolerant of the sun this year - even Caribbean sun so clearly I'm not especially photosensitive but perhaps the mega lightingis different? Perhaps this would account for the annual long flare over Christmas thanks to the enormous amounts of LED lights that my husband drapes the house and garden with (you've seen 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation'???)
Does anyone know how this type of lighting compares with sunlight i.e weaker/stronger etc? Hope you're feeling better now Wendy - especially as the weather has finally picked up! Xx
Glad my post has helped a little. Funny how things click into place. I don't think I'm really photosensitive in that I get out and about as normal - I just need to protect myself - I'm not housebound by it. But these blue spectrum lights are harsh and might be the answer. X
Had same bad effects to the LED Christmas lights just on our small Christmas tree. Had to take it down and find the old lights.
I think the hospital lights could well have an effect on many of us. Right enough despite our eyes being protected the rest of our face is exposed to the blue light at the dentist for quite a long time and at close proximity.
I am also bad with sunlight but especially in May, June early July time, not so bad late summer. Sun intensity must lessen then, and can never ever sit in any friends conservatories, even in a dull day. X
Yes, I've generally been far more affected by the early spring/summer sunshine so the UV must be different. Not sure why this year has been better - surely not remission after all these years??
Yes the lights at the dentist are in close proximity, the overhead one is pulled right down into your face for the duration. Then the filing setting light put into your mouth is blue light. So yep harsh lights used. There is so much to learn about this illness!
My lovely dentists has been trying to get hold of me for a couple of days and finally last night I answered his call. he phoned me after work at 6pm.
He wanted to check I was OK and have a chat about my reaction.
I said whatever I reacted to did make me feel very unwell but luckily it didn't last too long - I felt better the next day and was just tired the next day - so 24 hours kind of thing.
I said I was not well after last filing - bad headache/fatigue and went to bed to recover, but thought nothing of it.
I'm not sure if it's the light used to set the filing or the aneasthetic etc and maybe he might know more than me.
He said that the light to set the filing is a blue light. So that might be it. The last filing I had was deeper in my mouth and so the blue light might not have reached my face/cheeks. But this time, the filing was closer to the front of my mouth, so maybe the blue light caught my face more? (He had used it a lot this time too as deep filing).
He didn't think it was the aneasthetic - as he has used similar ones before and I hadn't reacted. (But I am not 100% sure about this, as just because I have never reacted before it doesn't mean that I wont develop a reaction right? Can't a reaction to something develop at any time? For example, my father in law developped heyfever at 60 years old and had never had an allergies before. And I seem to be developping an "intolerance" to shell fish at 42/43 years old). Anyway, he personally ruled this out as a cause.
I also said that the lighting in the room is very bright and I was in the chair for 40-45 minutes, which is a long time to be sat under strong lighting when photosensitive. He agreed. I said that maybe I should wear my hat next time and he laughed and said he didn't have an issue with that at all. So only my face would be exposed and I could reapply my Factor 50+ before going in.
I said really I just wanted him to be aware of me being ill and have it noted on my file for next time.
He said he'd made a note immediately on my records and that he was sure he'd remember as well, but for me to remind him too.
He said he'd looked at my x-rays and I only have that one filing left to replce now. He said from the x-ray it didn't need replacing just yet - no signs of further decay etc, so he would leave that final one for a little longer.
Anyway, I know I'm in good hands and now he is aware of this.
I am worried that any such reaction could be more extreme next time, like some of yours, but at least if I was to pass out etc he will know to be ready.
I will discuss this with my new Rheumy next week on 13th and my dentist friend hasn't replied in full yet, just acknowledged my message.
Oh I also meant to say, I talked about all of this with my husband last night. He rightly pointed out that it might not matter where the blue light to set the filing was in my mouth - i.e. towards the front of my mouth or the back - as either way, the blue light was in my mouth and there are lots of blood vessells etc in the mouth, so either way I might absorb it quicker there??? So maybe last time I had a midler reaction and this time, with it being used a few times to set a deep filing, I had a stronger reaction.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Lupus , had general anaesthetic yesterday feel like I've been beaten up today???? Why!??
Methotrexate, steroids, COVID-19
Has anyone had a biopsy taken of their bladder?
Side effects 🤔
Just found out my son has lupus
