Dental Dose: What you need to know about bupivacaine

Bupivacaine's claim to fame is that it's the longest-acting amide anesthetic agent, noted Tom Viola, RPh, in the latest episode of Dental Dose. But how much do you really know about this amide anesthetic? Viola breaks down three key points in our video. -- RELATED VIDEOS • 3 things you don't know about articaine:    • Dental Dose: 3 things you don't know about...   • Why prilocaine is arguably the best anesthetic:    • Dental Dose: Why prilocaine is arguably th...   • Carbocaine's greatest strength is also its biggest weakness:    • Dental Dose: Carbocaine’s greatest strengt...   • Why lidocaine is the golden child of dentistry:    • Dental Dose: Why lidocaine is the golden c...   -- 1. Bupivacaine is more than an anesthetic agent. Bupivacaine is not only an anesthetic agent but also an analgesic, Viola said. That means a patient who will be in intense pain after a procedure might be better served by an injection of bupivacaine rather than relying on a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen for postsurgery pain. "That would keep them numb for hours afterward," Viola said. "If you didn't want to write a script for an analgesic, especially opioids, that might be a good alternative." 2. Watch out for unintended consequences. Viola warned that patients who receive a bupivacaine injection can unintentionally bite down on their cheek or tongue when eating. The numbing effects can also last a long time in the body, slowing the heart and brain. "A lot of people report that they're awfully tired," Viola said. "That could be one of the side effects of bupivacaine." 3. Bupivacaine works better for some types of patients. Bupivacaine is often the anesthetic of last resort, Viola said. This makes it a good choice for some types of patients who are difficult to anesthetize, such as the following: • People with red hair • People with a history of substance abuse, methamphetamine use, or cocaine use • Heavy cannabis users