Oral cancer is the sixth most common cancer, and accounts for about 3.6 percent of all cancers diagnosed, with roughly 40,000 new cases of oral cancer reported annually in the United States. The vast majority of oral cancers occur in people older than 45 years, with men being twice as likely as women to develop the disease.
Dentistry has advanced to the point in which pain is almost a thing of the past.
Powerful pain-killing medications known as anesthetics not only help a patient avoid discomfort during a procedure, but post-operatively as well.
Some patients, especially children, may require higher doses of anesthetic than others.
Types of pain-killing medications include:
Analgesics - These are also called pain relievers and include
common non-narcotic medications such as ibuprofen and aspirin. Analgesics
are usually used for mild cases of discomfort, and are typically prescribed
following such procedures as a root canal or tooth extraction.
Anesthetics - Anesthetics can either be topically applied,
injected or swallowed. Dentists often apply topical anesthetics with a cotton
swab to an area of the mouth where a procedure such as a restoration will
be performed. This numbs the affected area. Topical anesthetics are used in
many dental procedures such as tooth restoration. Topical anesthetics also
are used to prepare an area for injection of an anesthetic. Novocaine and Lidocaine
are the most common kind of injectable anesthetics. Such medications block
the nerves from transmitting signals and are used for more major types of
procedures, such as fillings and root canals.
Sedatives - Sedatives are medications designed to help
a patient relax. This can be a powerful tool in avoiding pain. Sedatives are
sometimes used in combination with other types of pain relievers and pain-killers.
Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, is a form of sedative. Conscious sedation
involves administering a sedative while the patient is alert and awake. Deep
sedation or general anesthesia involves administering a medication that places
a patient in a state of monitored and controlled unconsciousness.
Types of sedatives include:
Intravenous (IV) sedation - Usually in the form of a tranquilizing agent); patients given IV sedation are often awake, but very relaxed.
Inhalation sedation - a form of sedation in which a medication (such as nitrous oxide) is administered through a special mask.
