Dentists need consent to give a local anaesthetic

I was at the dentist today to have a large filling in a molar replaced. My dentist asked if I wanted a shot of local anaesthetic, and I said, "of course!!" She said that she had to ask because she can't simply give me a shot without my consent, as that would be "Körperverletzung!" I replied that in Canada, it would be seen to be inflicting bodily harm on someone if you were to do such a procedure without anaesthetic. But I haven't lived in Canada for eight years, so maybe things have changed there, but I don't ever remember my dentist asking me if I wanted a shot or not -- it was just par for the course. Have any of you had a similar experience, and if so, have you ever foregone anaesthetic, or do you think this just another German quirk, like no robes at the gynecologist's? After seeing the hole left after she removed the old filling, I'm mighty glad she pumped me full of drugs!

Alot of germans don`t like Anesthetic, so the dentists ask you. Its not a given, we sometimes have to talk the patients into getting the anesthetic, because the patients say it makes them dizzy and they suffer headaches from it for a week afterwards.

Its only a filling replacement. It does not hurt.

I also was like that and i had anaestetic for my first one, then my dentist said why not try the next one without. I felt no pain. I must add I hate pain.

Sometimes it's not necessary as in Deccie's case. A filling in a tooth which has had a root canal done (correctly) won't need it. Some people have headaches and feel like shit for days after getting one of the XXX_caines. It's caused by PABA, found in benzocaine, procaine and tetracaine. Xylocaine/lidocaine and others don't have PABA and therefore don't cause this reaction. I know I've written about this before somewhere but I can't find it.

There are alternatives to injections. If very little pain is expected, clove and wintergreen oils can be used for mild topical anæsthesia and nitrous oxide to put you to sleep for the duration and keep you from feeling any pain if you're not completely under.

woof.

My dentists always tried to avoid giving the shots if possible because it takes longer to wait to get numb, it's not necessarily needed, and I always needed 4 or 5 shots. But in some states they ask whether you want nitrous oxide. You have to ask them for the one without whatever makes me feel jittery and nervous, but if you need novacaine, they always give it to you.

Novacain is no longer in use... just for your info!

Nitrous, well, I worked with nitrous, more proof that it is mind over matter. I am not licsened to turn it on, but we often put the nozzle on the patient, they thought it was on, and we never turned it on. Worked for us. And the patient was none the wiser, they were never charged for it.

I've had nitrous oxide as a patient. I'd say it works. More a matter of taking your mind off things than actually taking the pain away, but same thing in the end.

It's been maybe 2 years since I've needed a shot, but I remember clearly that they talked about Novacaine and, as usual I asked for the non-adrenaline kind. Maybe it's easier to call it Novacaine with patients, and to not tell them the old nervous heart-skippy stuff is no longer being used?

I only had nitrous a few times, long long ago, and it was pretty weird. I wouldn't want it again, actually, because I think all it does is relax you, right? I can do that on my own. There was a poster of ducklings in the room, and I will never forget watching the ducklings walk all the way around the room during the procedure. I don't like being that out of it just for the damn dentist's office in the middle fo the day.