Getting your wisdom teeth pulled can provoke fear and anxiety for many. A new study titled “Effectiveness of wearing glasses with green lenses on dental anxiety for third-molar surgery” written by Gokhan Gurses and et. al. appearing in March 21, 2024, appearing in the Journal of the American Dental Association suggests a simple trick might help: wearing green glasses.
Wearing green lenses for just 10 minutes before wisdom teeth surgery can significantly reduce anxiety and heart rate in patients. The benefits may even extend to the surgery itself, with patients reporting lower pain levels when wearing green glasses throughout the procedure.
Why Green?
The calming effect of green isn’t exactly new. Studies have shown that exposure to green spaces, like forests, can reduce anxiety and depression. Green light has also been linked to pain reduction and improved quality of life in patients with migraines and fibromyalgia. The researchers sought to see if green lenses could harness this calming power for dental patients.
Image by Greg Plominski from Pixabay
The Study
The study involved 128 people undergoing wisdom teeth surgery in a randomized parallel group clinical trial. The researchers measured the patients’ anxiety using a visual analog scale (VAS) and a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), along with heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation. The patients were divided into two groups: one that wore clear glasses and another that wore green lenses for 10 minutes before surgery.
The results were promising. It was shown that statistically significant difference in anxiety and heart rate was found in patients who wore the green-lensed glasses for 10 minutes prior to surgery when compared to those who wore clear lenses. This improvement was seen in both dental-specific anxiety and overall state anxiety.
Beyond Anxiety Relief
The study also suggests that green glasses might offer pain relief during surgery. Patients who wore green lenses throughout the procedure reported lower pain levels compared to those who wore clear lenses.
Looking Forward
While the results are encouraging, the study does have limitations. More research is needed to understand exactly how green light exposure reduces anxiety and pain. Additionally, the study focused on glasses, but the researchers suggest disposable green contact lenses could be an option in the future.
Calming the Wisdom Teeth Jitters
If you’re facing wisdom teeth surgery, wearing green glasses beforehand might be an option to consider. While more research is needed, this simple approach could potentially make the experience a lot less stressful. In the future, additional studies should be done to determine the specific anxiety and pain reducing effects that being exposed to green causes.