Chronic pain relief after the exposure of nitrous oxide during dental treatment: longitudinal retrospective study

• Published in: Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria Vol. 73; no. 7; pp. 578 - 581
• Main Authors: Mattos Júnior, Francisco Moreira, Mattos, Rafael Villanova, Teixeira, Manoel Jacobsen, Siqueira, Silvia Regina Dowgan Tesseroli de, Siqueira, Jose Tadeu Tesseroli de
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Academia Brasileira de Neurologia - ABNEURO 01.07.2015; Academia Brasileira de Neurologia (ABNEURO)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; alívio da dor; Anesthetics, Inhalation - therapeutic use; Chronic Pain - drug therapy; Conscious Sedation - methods; Dental Care - methods; dor crônica; Epidemiologic Methods; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Diseases - therapy; NEUROSCIENCES; Nitrous Oxide - therapeutic use; Pain Measurement; PSYCHIATRY; Sex Factors; tratamento odontológico; Treatment Outcome; Visual Analog Scale; Young Adult; óxido nitroso; chronic pain; dental treatment; nitrous oxide; dor crônica; óxido nitroso; tratamento odontológico; alívio da dor; pain relief
• ISSN: 0004-282X; 1678-4227; 1678-4227; 0004-282X
• DOI: 10.1590/0004-282X20150061

The objective was to investigate the effect of nitrous/oxygen in chronic pain. Seventy-seven chronic pain patients referred to dental treatment with conscious sedation with nitrous oxide/oxygen had their records included in this research. Data were collected regarding the location and intensity of pain by the visual analogue scale before and after the treatment. Statistical analysis was performed comparing pre- and post-treatment findings. It was observed a remarkable decrease in the prevalence of pain in this sample (only 18 patients still had chronic pain, p < 0.001) and in its intensity (p < 0.001). Patients that needed fewer sessions received higher proportions of nitrous oxide/oxygen. Nitrous oxide may be a tool to be used in the treatment of chronic pain, and future prospective studies are necessary to understand the underlying mechanisms and the effect of nitrous oxide/oxygen in patients according to the pain diagnosis and other characteristics.