Effect of Short Duration Simulated Microgravity on Effectiveness of Local Anesthesia

Abstract

Dental emergencies are real medical emergencies in long term space flight like mission to Mars due to conditions of microgravity and other factors. Local anesthesia is required to treat dental emergences. To the best of our knowledge, no study has been conducted on the consequence of simulated microgravity on effectiveness of local, dental, anesthesia. Twenty healthy male volunteers were subjected to permanent bed rest for 10 days −6° head-down-tilt (HDT). A local anesthetic solution 2 % lidocaine was administered to each subject with an aspirating syringe before HDT condition and after HDT. Degree of discomfort, pulpal and soft tissue anesthesia was assessed. The palatal and buccal injection caused statistically significant increase in pain after simulated microgravity as compared to the pre-HDT control. Lidocaine produced significant anesthetized soft tissues mesially and distally after simulated condition as compared to the baseline condition. The effect of lidocaine maintained longer in the pulpal anesthesia of adjacent teeth after simulated microgravity as compared to baseline. No adverse effects of lidocaine were observed after simulated microgravity or in baseline measurements. Hence, lidocaine might be used in future space mission.