The use of lignocaine in dental practice: results of a survey of a group of general and hospital dental practitioners

Objectives: This survey investigated whether dentists using lignocaine with adrenaline used aspiration syringes or warming and assessed their knowledge of appropriate doses of these drugs. Methods: Sixty-two general dental practitioners (GDPs) and 26 hospital dental practitioners (HDPs) responded to a series of questions asked via telephone or direct interview. Results: Only 3% of dentists interviewed correctly calculated the amount of lignocaine (mg) in 2 ml of 2% lignocaine solution and none knew the safe dose expressed as mg/kg body wt. All dentists were using a cartridge system and had an easily remembered maximum number of cartridges that they would administer. This number varied, but in all cases was within the safe maximum dose recommended by the British National Formulary. The survey also showed that 63% of the GDPs were using self aspirating syringe systems and approximately 50% considered warming the anaesthetic solution prior to injection to be beneficial. Conclusion: The results indicate that dentists may be found to be poor at calculating doses but are nevertheless unlikely to give inappropriate amounts of lignocaine to healthy adults. This indicates the relative safety of the cartridge system. The use of the self aspirating syringe is not universal in spite of recommendations for its use. Warming of the anaesthetic solution is popular.