Entry 2

Anesthetics are chemical substances widely used before surgeries and medical procedures to prevent the brain from recognizing any pain stimuli. This kind of medication provokes a reversible blockage of neural communication in a specific area of the body, such as when people go to the dentist and have to be submitted for a root canal treatment. It will cause a temporary loss of sensation in the area, which means that you will be spared from feeling terrible and unnecessary pain. 

When the anesthetic acts, it blocks the sodium channels. Medications like Novocaine and Lidocaine block the Sodium channels located on the neuron's terminal membranes. The sodium that is outside of the membrane will not enter into the cell anymore. Consequently,  it will prevent the release of potassium molecules inside the cell, disturbing the whole process of hyperpolarization and polarization from occurring due to the anesthetic in the sensor neurons present in the gum's epithelium. 

The sodium channel blockage is decisive to inhibit the action potential to occur. The membrane potential changes are totally dependent on sodium channels to propagate its message by firing other neurons and communicating stimuli to the brain.  These channels are selective to sodium ions. Therefore its blockage decreases the speed and the amplitude of the neuron's communication, which in the case of dental treatment would be pain that will not happen as the necessary changes inside the cell to conduct the action potential changes will not take place.