Dental Appointment

In June of 2017 I discovered that I had afib after a dental appointment whereby I was having a large silver amalgam filling removed and they used an anesthetic called Mepivacaine. The dentist already knew that I was sensitive to the regular ephenephrine. They took precautions for the amalgam removal but I had a terrible reaction. He injected me twice. Don't know if it was the anesthetic or the amalgam that triggered it. For three weeks afterwards I was in afib. I did not realize it was afib until they put the Holter Monitor on me a few weeks after the dental procedure for 48 hours. On August 29, 2017 I had a successful ablation by Natale in Thousand Oaks thanks to Shannon. Between the Afib diagnosis and the Ablation I was on Metropolol and Eliquis.

Now I have cracked my upper back molar and have to make an appointment with same Dentist and would like advice on which anesthetic I should request. I knew this day would come where I would have to have some sort of dental anesthetic and I am terrified at this point not knowing if the cardiac ablation is going to be compromised. Should I take a large dose of magnesium prior? This visit does not involve amalgam but what terrifies me is the thought of the anesthetic. I am so sensitive to it. I have two strains of the MTHFR gene mutation so can never do nitrous oxide.

Am I worrying needlessly about this appointment? I am having palpitations just thinking about it.

I've always just asked for dental anesthesia without epinephrine. They have complied, and I've not had an issue.

George

Like George said, just request that they skip the epinephrine. But even if they used epi, there's no chance it could compromise your ablation. That's just not something that can happen. You've had a successful ablation. Relax and don't worry about triggers and magnesium and all that. You're most likely done with afib for life.

Thank you guys! You are making me feel better about this, somewhat. . The Mepivacaine is supposed to be a non-epinephrine anesthetic so I will probably be given that again.

Thanks greyhound. Valuable topic and info. One of my first episodes was after 2 hour extraction of 15 year old dental implants,


Tibbar

I always found that dental work triggered my Afib pre-ablation. Now when I go I ask for no-epi anesthesia. Though to be honest, I try and get as much done as possible without anesthesia. You’d actually be surprised. For a minor filling you really don’t feel much of snything. I guess I developed a bit of an aversion to freezing after the Afib episodes.

Monty

I have had a lot of dental work done and never has it put me in AF, I wonder if that is because I am Vagal.

Liz