Acupuncture reduces acute dental pain

A study to evaluate the effect pf acupuncture in reducing the intensity of acute dental pain in pre-dental care in 120 patients waiting for emergency dental care was conducted at the After-Hours Emergency Dental Clinic, and at the Emergency Center Dental Specialties. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to measure pain intensity. All patients underwent one session of acupuncture; the points LI4, ST44 and CV23 were selected and were used alone or in combinations. Reduction in pain was observed in 120 patients (mean initial VAS 6.558±1.886; mean final VAS 0.962±2.163, p<0.00001). Results of this study indicate that acupuncture could be a technical adjunct to pain control in patients with acute dental pain, contributing to the restoration of health with social benefit (Grillo CM, et al. Acupuncture in the management of acute dental pain. Journal of Acupuncture and Meridian Studies 2014;7:65-70).