After many years of developing equipment, medicines, routines, and knowledge, the risks associated with anesthesia have been significantly reduced, and safety is now very high. However, one can never get away from the fact that anesthesia, just like most medical treatments, involves a certain degree of risk. This risk must always be viewed in relation to the risk of not carrying out the medical procedure, as well as in the perspective that the risk of a serious injury associated with anesthesia is much smaller than the risk one exposes oneself and their child to when driving to the hospital.

This table provides an understanding of the occurrence of risks associated with anesthesia.

Risk Risk level Description
Restlessness 1 in 10 Very common
Sickness 1 in 10 Very common
Dizziness 1 in 10 Very common
Headache 1 in 100 Common
Chest infection 1 in 1000 Uncommon
Damage to teeth 1 in 1000 Uncommon
Awareness 1 in 1000 Uncommon
Serious allergy to drugs 1 in 10.000 Rare
Serious complication of local anesthesia 1 in 10.000 Rare
Serious complication of strong pain killers 1 in 10.000 Rare
Brain damage < 1 in 100.000 Very rare
Death << 1 in 100.000 Extremely rare

Source: https://www.rcoa.ac.uk/patientinfo/risks