Evaluation of oral submucosal blood flow at dental injection sites by radioactive Xenon clearance in beagle dogs.

Oral submucosal blood flow was measured at dental injection sites in anesthetized dogs and compared with subcutaneous blood flow. Blood flow was calculated from the measured half-time for clearance of radioactive xenon dissolved in saline. By this method, oral submucosal blood flow was much greater than subcutaneous blood flow and was comparable in magnitude to values reported for cerebral blood flow. Injection of a solution containing 1:100,000 epinephrine at the mandibular canal produce a delayed clearance of isotope which was three times as long as the clearance time for solutions without epinephrine.