Which statement about local anesthetic toxicity is false?

The statement indicating that 11 carpules of 2% lidocaine can be safely administered to a 50 kg individual is not accurate because it exceeds the generally accepted maximum dosage for local anesthetics, particularly lidocaine.

To put this into perspective, the maximum dosage for lidocaine is typically calculated based on the patient's weight. For lidocaine, the commonly accepted limit is about 5 mg/kg for the plain solution, and about 7 mg/kg when it is buffered or used with epinephrine. For a 50 kg individual, this would translate to a maximum of approximately 250 mg of lidocaine.

Each carpule of 2% lidocaine contains 36 mg of lidocaine (since 2% solution means 2 g of lidocaine in 100 mL, which equals 20 mg/mL, and a carpule is about 1.8 mL). Thus, administering 11 carpules would result in approximately 396 mg of lidocaine, which far exceeds the safe limit and could lead to potentially serious toxicity.

Understanding the implications of local anesthetic dosing is essential for ensuring patient safety during dental procedures. This highlights the critical importance of adhering to established dosing guidelines to prevent adverse reactions.