Izzit pinup tiem naow?
Posted on 08/08/2009 9:34:39 AM PDT by nickcarraway
Nobody likes going to the dentist, but redheads may have good reason.
A growing body of research shows that people with red hair need larger doses of anesthesia and often are resistant to local pain blockers like Novocaine. As a result, redheads tend to be particularly nervous about dental procedures and are twice as likely to avoid going to the dentist as people with other hair colors, according to new research published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.
Researchers believe redheads are more sensitive to pain because of a mutation in a gene that affects hair color. In people with brown, black and blond hair, the gene, for the melanocortin-1 receptor, produces melanin. But a mutation in the MC1R gene results in the production of a substance called pheomelanin that results in red hair and fair skin.
The MC1R gene belongs to a family of receptors that include pain receptors in the brain, and as a result, a mutation in the gene appears to influence the body’s sensitivity to pain. A 2004 study showed that redheads require, on average, about 20 percent more general anesthesia than people with dark hair or blond coloring. And in 2005, researchers found that redheads are more resistant to the effects of local anesthesia, such as the numbing drugs used by dentists.
The mutation in the MC1R gene also occurs in brunettes, although it’s less common. In the latest study, the researchers tested for the MC1R gene variant, finding it in 65 of 67 redheads and in 20 of 77 people with brown or black hair. The participants were surveyed about dental-care anxiety, fear of dental pain and whether they avoid going to the dentist.
(Excerpt) Read more at well.blogs.nytimes.com ...
I am glad to read this.
I thought it said Raghead :)
There’s an excellent Rufosity article on wikipedia.
Now if I could just find a red haired dental hygienist who could sympathize with me, I might go more often. I HATE going to the dentist and yep, I’m a redhead.
I NOW NEED TO BE CLASSIFIED AS A MINORITY AND GET SPECIAL GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES!!!!
Red hair ping.
Izzit pinup tiem naow?
“redheads were difficult to anesthetize”
My husband would say “redheads were difficult in any situation”.
Redhead PING!
Is that why I’m such a sissy in the dentist’s chair?
I don’t even use Novocaine and I used to have flaming red hair. It’s gone blondish white now though.
Would it matter if you’re a ravishing faux redhead? just askin.....
I’ve heard this is also true of those of Scottish descent.
Then there is the bleeding issue.
No, they just don’t want to spend extra...
I must be an aberration then. I'm a redhead and I get knocked out rather easily. A few weeks back I had a caudal epidural which requires anesthesia (believe me: you don't want to get one of those without it!) As this was my second one in the series, the anesthesiologist decided to use less anesthesia than the first because they had a hard time bringing me out from being under.
I suffer from chronic lower back pain due to an injury years ago and 4 lower back operations (one 8 months ago.) I refuse all narcotics, and the doctors all tell me I have a very high pain threshhold. I walked around with a broken spinal fusion at L5-S1 and a bone spur pressing against the root nerve in my lower back for several months before getting it fixed - and I never took a single pain killer before or after the surgery that corrected it.
I've even had teeth drilled and filled without novocaine. I hate the stuff. I'd rather go without then drool all over myself while it wears off.
The rest of y'all red heads must be real wimps I suppose. C'mon, we're supposed to be the master race for crying out loud!!
(/humor)
“My husband would say ‘redheads were difficult in any situation.’”
My DH has mentioned that, too. ;-) Now we have a red-head DD, who is now in junior high, so he’s getting it in stereo.
The boys have brown hair and eyes like their dad. Give them a band-aid and a pat on the back and they are fine.
DD and I just about need morphine for a splinter, so neither of us enjoys dental work.
No, sorry. Dyeing your hair red doesn't make you a redhead. In fact the red hair is just the warning sign for what lies ahead.
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