dental question - how long does the numbing feeling from the dentist injection last?

[bacere]

I want to phone my dentist but they are at lunch - and I am so hungry but my jaw and tongue are still numb it's been well over an hour.

I am so hungry!

Well eat something then, you're numb not paralysed. How long it will last depends on what was used and where it was placed, anything from 30min to 12 hours with the longest lasting anaesthetics. Usually two to three hours is what I advise my patients. You just need to be careful not to bite yourself.

And soup might be a bit messy if you can't 100% feel if your mouth is properly shut after sipping.
Just find something nice and soft to eat. TBH my dentist always advises me to not eat for two hours after a filling - I think it's to give the filling time to set properly though - and then to avoid hard stuff for the rest of the day.

tongue so heavy cant manage soup

Sorry had to dash off - many thanks for replies. The numbness is actually making it hard to swallow but I'll try a soft sandwich after another hour.