Okuzeka
Dentistry vocabulary · Patient Communication and Instructions

Numb

Meaning in dentistry, with examples

/nʌm/adjectiveCore term

In dentistry, numb means: Unable to feel anything in part of the body for a while, as the lip, tongue and cheek are after a local anesthetic. It is also a verb: to numb an area.

In Turkish: uyuşmuş, uyuşuk, hissiz

How it is used

Used all the time with patients: 'Is it numb yet?' and 'Your lip will feel numb for a few hours.' The noun is numbness. Dentists check that the area is numb before starting work.

Example sentences

  1. Does your lip feel numb yet, or shall we wait a few more minutes?

  2. Be careful not to bite your cheek while it's numb.

Common collocations

  • feel numb
  • go numb
  • numb the area
  • the numbness wears off
  • local anestheticA drug injected near a tooth or nerve to numb one area of the mouth, so that treatment does not hurt while the patient stays fully awake.
  • post-operative instructionsThe information a patient is given after an extraction or surgery about bleeding, pain, eating, cleaning and warning signs, often on a printed sheet.
  • rinseTo move water or another liquid around the mouth and then spit it out. As a noun, it can mean a mouthwash or the act of rinsing.
  • open wideA short instruction asking the patient to open the mouth as far as is comfortable, so that the dentist can see and reach the back teeth.

More terms: Patient Communication and Instructions

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.