Pharmacological Management of Acute Endodontic Pain

• Published in: Drugs (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 81; no. 14; pp. 1627 - 1643
• Main Authors: Khan, Asma A., Diogenes, Anibal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01.09.2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acute Pain - drug therapy; Adrenal Cortex Hormones - therapeutic use; Analgesics, Non-Narcotic - therapeutic use; Analgesics, Opioid - therapeutic use; Anesthetics, Local - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Anxiety; Dental pulp; Dental Pulp Diseases - drug therapy; Dentists; Drugs; Emergency medical care; Endodontics; Humans; Internal Medicine; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Nervous system; Neurons; Pain; Pain Management - methods; Pain Measurement; Patients; Perceptions; Periapical Diseases - drug therapy; Pharmacology/Toxicology; Pharmacotherapy; Review Article; Teeth
• ISSN: 0012-6667; 1179-1950
• DOI: 10.1007/s40265-021-01564-4

Pain associated with infections of the tooth pulp and periapical tissues is intense and often the most common reason for patients seeking emergency dental care. Effective management of acute dental pain requires a deep understanding of pain mechanisms, which enables accurate diagnosis and definitive treatment. While drugs are only used as an adjunct to definitive dental treatment, a thorough understanding of their mechanism of action and effectiveness enables clinicians to effectively control intra-operative and post-operative pain and prevent persistent pain. This review describes how pain is detected, processed, and perceived. It also provides information on evidence-based strategies on the use of different classes of drugs to effectively manage endodontic pain.