While undergoing dental procedures, it's not uncommon for patients to experience temporary numbness in their throats. This is typically caused by the administration of local anesthetics, such as lidocaine or articaine, which are commonly used to block pain signals during dental work.
Local anesthetics work by temporarily interfering with the transmission of nerve impulses, effectively numbing the area where they're applied. In dentistry, these anesthetics are often injected into the tissues surrounding the tooth being treated, resulting in the numbing sensation. The numbness typically affects not only the tooth itself but also the surrounding tissues, including the throat.