# Any Dentist Dopers in the House? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 6, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483 "2008-02-06T05:16:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gus\_Handsome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Gus\_Handsome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Handsome)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483/1 "2008-02-06T05:16:32Z")
Is it possible for freezing to cause permanent damage? I had a root canal done 19 days ago and a portion of my tongue has still not recovered from the freezing. It’s the same sensation that you get when you burn your tongue on hot soup / tea. Any thoughts? Could it be just a fluke thing that will eventually go away or should I be worried? Thanks Gus ---
**Author:** ![herownself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8baadc/32.png) [@herownself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/herownself)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483/2 "2008-02-06T23:23:14Z")
Call your dentist. Or have someone who understands your pathetic garbling excuse for speech ( 😉 ) call your dentist for you. Free medical advice from the internet is worth exactly what you pay for it. Best wishes. Truly. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2008, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483/3 "2008-02-06T23:39:09Z")
IANAD, and you should definitely call your dentist to ask. However, I do have an anecdote. Last year I had part of my foot frozen for a minor procedure, and weeks later some of my toes were still numb. I was concerned and called the doctor, who told me that that the freezing can take a while to wear off. Eventually my toes did regain feeling. So while it’s worth having it checked out, it could easily be just a longterm effect of the anesthetic. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483/4 "2008-02-07T02:34:15Z")
Did the rest of the anesthesia wear off? My dentist-wife (who is NOT your dentist and can’t speak for your case in particular; consult your own dentist; and this is prone to transcription errors) say that if it’s your tongue, you probably had a root canal on the lower teeth, and usually it should only be one injection that sleeps a heck of a lot of branches of one main nerve. If the others have woken up, then it’s usually pretty sure that the anesthesia is worn off. The dentist may have struck one of the nerves, in which case, it may heal on its own, or if it’s extensive, it won’t. In any case, 19 days is a long time, and you should have seen your dentist already by now! “Frozen” for anesthesia? Neither of you have a location specified; I’ve never, ever heard that particular reference to it before. ---
**Author:** ![Chief\_Pedant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@Chief\_Pedant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chief_Pedant)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2008, 12:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-dentist-dopers-in-the-house/436483/5 "2008-02-07T12:46:06Z")
[QUOTE=Gus\_Handsome] Is it possible for freezing to cause permanent damage? I had a root canal done 19 days ago and a portion of my tongue has still not recovered from the freezing. It’s the same sensation that you get when you burn your tongue on hot soup / tea. Any thoughts? Could it be just a fluke thing that will eventually go away or should I be worried? Thanks Gus [/QUOTE] An inferior alveolar nerve block ( this numbs the lower row of teeth on one side) can sometimes damage the lingual nerve which supplies part of the tongue. Dysesthesias (tingling, etc) and anesthesia (numbness) are common manifestations of injury. Searching on those terms may answer some of your questions. Recovery may take several months as the nerve regenerates slowly.