The effect of local anesthetics on the respiration of dental pulp.

Abstract

Determinations were made of the effect of procaine, Xylocaine, and Primacaine in concentrations of 0.200 Gm., 0.133 Gm., and 0.066 Gm. per cent on the oxygen consumption of rat incisor pulp tissues. Calculations were made on the basis of wet weight and nitrogen content of the tissues. Although somewhat variable in action, all of the local anesthetics depressed oxygen consumption of pulpal tissues. In lower concentrations, and when the difference in anesthetic concentrations varied by 66 mg. per cent, there were no consistently significant differences in the decrease in oxygen consumption when such data were analyzed statistically. Significant differences were found consistently in the effect of the anesthetics when comparisons were made between the highest and lowest concentrations of anesthetics.