Do you ever wish you had one less thing to remember? One less task on your to-do list? I know I feel this way all the time, especially when it comes to patient care. I feel like there’s always more being added and nothing ever being taken away.
Imagine my surprise when I saw that my favorite liquid topical anesthetic was back on the market, and we didn’t have to deal with a compounding pharmacy anymore. Not only was it one less thing we had to deal with—calling in the refill and getting someone to pick it up—but now I knew each bottle would be the same! With our compounded product, some bottles worked better than others, leaving patients either wiggling in pain or numb for a little too long.
With the release of DycloPro, a 0.5% dyclonine hydrochloride topical anesthetic by Septodont, I can rest assured each bottle will be the same reliable, consistent, sterile product. And I don’t have to go running out to a pharmacy. It can just come with my regular supplies. One less thing!
I was introduced to dyclonine hydrochloride as a topical anesthetic back in hygiene school and found it to be highly effective as a topical anesthetic. It often eliminated the need for a local (that is a huge timesaver). I liked it for its versatility. You can swab it on for a localized area or have a patient swish with it for the whole mouth. It then disappeared, leaving us to search out a substitute and eventually find a compound pharmacist to make it for us.
The anesthetic result has a fast onset and lasts about an hour. When I know ahead of time my patient will require some sort of numbing effect, I have them swish with a measured amount at the start of the appointment and then go into my assessment. But if the need pops up unexpectedly, it still provides relief within minutes. I like to use it for
- a gag reflex when taking x-rays or impressions;
- aphthous ulcers and other painful lesions;
- preinjection relief; and
- before scaling or probing.
The great thing about this product over other topicals on the market is DycloPro is a ketone product, so it has a decreased risk of causing an allergic reaction. The body efficiently metabolizes ketones, so they are easily tolerated by patients with no aftereffects.
It also comes with a clear maximum recommended dose (MRD), so you can be sure you aren’t overdoing it. I have been known to slather on the jelly topical stuff in a pinch, and not only is it a mess, but I also have no way to measure and document how much I’ve used. DycloPro makes it easy to track how much you are using, and a little goes a long way! I recommend storing it in central supply and keeping disposable single-use pipettes in the cabinet with the bottle. Then you can measure out what you need and transfer it to your operatory. That way, you keep the bottle sterile for future use and can easily document how much you used.
If you aren’t fortunate enough to have been practicing hygiene as long as I have to know the wonders of a dyclonine topical, now is your chance. DycloPro will help you clear the shelves of all the other topical anesthetic products you have taking up space and give you one less thing to think about!
