Worrisome Implications of Accidental Injection of Colourless Corrosive Chemicals Intraorally into Perioral Tissue Spaces: A Severe Negligence

Abstract

During certain treatment procedures in a dental clinic, few colourless chemicals like Local Anaesthetics (LA), sodium hypochlorite, formalin, hydrogen peroxide, xylene, chloroform, etc., are often used simultaneously. Instead of LA, these chemicals may be accidentally injected in oral soft tissues due to casual handling. These accidental injections produce severe corrosive effects in and around perioral tissues and may lead to chemical necrotising cellulitis within 24 hours. Osteolytic changes of underlying bone and fatty infiltration with necrosis of the soft tissues can also occur. These events of accidental injection of such corrosive chemical solutions in patients during dental treatment may occur owing to the use of empty LA bottles for storage of these corrosive chemicals which can be easily mistaken for LA solution. Every solution has its indicated use in dentistry and treatment procedure. While performing any treatment procedure in dental clinic, utmost care and precautions must be taken to avoid any medical negligence in administering such corrosive chemicals intraorally which may make the patient’s life havoc because of hazardous complications in maxillofacial region. This paper reviews accidental intraoral injection of these colourless chemicals and also discusses the adverse effects, prevention and management of such inadvertent injections. Successful management includes cautious debridement and empirical drug therapy (antibiotics and analgesics).