Your child has had local anesthetic for his/her dental procedure:
* If the procedure was in the lower jaw the tongue, teeth, lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.
* If the procedure was in the upper jaw the teeth, lip and surrounding tissue will be numb or asleep.
Often, children do not understand the effects of local anesthesia and may chew, scratch, suck or play with the numb lip, tongue, or cheek. These actions can cause minor irritations or they can be severe enough to cause swelling and abrasions to the tissue. Please monitor your child closely for about 2-3 hours following the appointment. It is wise to keep your child on a liquid or soft diet until the anesthetic has worn off.