WEATHER CONDITIONS AFFECTING PATIENTS' REACTIONS TO LOCAL ANESTHETICS

A REPORT OF 1,319 CONSECUTIVE CASES

¹ Beverly Hills, Calif.

1. Of 1,319 consecutive local anesthetics administered for cavity preparation upon vital teeth, fifty-six (4 per cent) gave incomplete pulp anesthesia or anesthesia of very short duration and occurred in association with temperature peaks.

2. In this series of anesthetics, nineteen (1.4 per cent) gave minor toxic manifestations and occurred in association with temperature dips.

3. The change in temperature appears to be the causative factor for these abnormal anesthetic reactions.

4. Toxic manifestations did not occur in cases of incomplete anesthesia, and vice versa. This may be explained by the fact that it is the temperature drop producing the toxic reactions and the temperature rise producing the incomplete anesthetic.