trismus

Hydrocortisone Shows Promise in Reducing Pain and Swelling After Wisdom Tooth Removal

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An interesting article titled “Efficacy of Hydrocortisone, Povidone-Iodine, and Normal Saline as an Irrigating Solution During Surgical Removal of Impacted Mandibular Third Molars: A Randomized Controlled Trial” written by Faheem Ahmed and et. al. appears in Cureus published February 01, 2024. The study sought to compare the effects of three irrigating solutions, hydrocortisone, povidone-iodine, and normal saline, on pain, trismus, and edema following removal of impacted lower wisdom teeth. Wisdom tooth removal, also known as the surgical removal of impacted third molars, is a common dental procedure, often accompanied by pain, swelling (edema), and difficulty opening the mouth (trismus). Researchers have been looking for ways to alleviate these post-surgical concers. The study metnioned in this article compared the effectiveness of three irrigation solutions used during surgery. The study involved 105 patients between the ages of 18 and 40 who needed … Read more

Using Rifamycin for Reducing Complications After Wisdom Teeth Surgery

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An interesting article titled “Evaluation of the efficacy of topical rifamycin application on postoperative complications after lower impacted wisdom teeth surgery” appears in the Journal of Stomatology, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery written by Levent Cigerim and et. al. (online 11 May 2023, 101501). The article explores the efficacy of a single-dose of topical rifamycin application to reduce complications after wisdom teeth surgery. Rifamycin has been shown to be effective in the inflammatory phase of wound healing by inhibiting prostaglandins, TNF-α and IL-8. In the study the authors included 35 patients with bilaterally impacted lower wisdom teeth that were removed for orthodontic reasons. The patients were split into two groups where the extraction sockets were irrigated with 3 ml/250 mg of rifamycin or with saline. The patients had their pain intensity measured daily for 7 days using a visual analog scale. Mouth … Read more

Laser therapy can reduce pain after wisdom teeth removal

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An interesting article titled “Extraoral low-level laser therapy can decrease pain but not edema and trismus after surgical extraction of impacted mandibular third molars: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial,” appearing in BMC Oral Health is written by Ehsan Momeni and et. al. (September 20, 2022, Vol. 22, 417). The article seeks to explore the impact of using a low-level diode laser on pain, swelling (edema), and jaw opening (trismus) following surgery to remove impacted lower wisdom teeth. This topic has been covered before on this site see for example the articles Laser Therapy to Reduce Pain and Improve Healing After Tooth Removal and Using Laser Therapy after Tooth Extraction to Improve Wound Healing. In the article the authors explore laser therapy as a possible alternative to techniques such as medication, cryotherapy, and surgical closure techniques to minizime complications, pain, and … Read more

Does Intravaneuous Dexamethasone Reduce Pain and Swelling and Improve Mouth Opening After Wisdom Teeth Surgery?

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An interesting article titled “Efficacy of intravenous dexamethasone administered preoperatively and postoperatively on pain, swelling, and trismus following third molar surgery. A comparative study” written by Giri et al. appears in the 2019 edition of Oral Surgery (vol. 12, pp. 110-117). The article explores if intravenous dexamethasone given either shortly before or after wisdom teeth surgery has any any effect when compared on the time of administration on pain, swelling, and trismus (mouth opening) experienced in the week after surgery. Previously on this site in a post titled Does Intravaneuous Ibuprofen Reduce Pain After Wisdom Teeth Surgery? it was shown that preoperative intravenous ibuprofen administration significantly reduced the pain experienced after surgery. In the article by Giri the authors say that dexamethasone is a type of corticosteroid that has a strong anti-inflammatory action. Dexamethasone has a half-life of 36–54 hours … Read more

Does Bromelain Impact Pain, Swelling, and Mouth Opening after Wisdom Teeth Surgery?

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An interesting article titled “Oral Bromelain for the Control of Facial Swelling, Trismus, and Pain After Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” appears in the 2019 edition of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery written by Liu et al. The article seeks to explore if bromelain reduces pain and swelling and improves mouth opening after wisdom teeth removal. Bromelain is believed to decrease swelling by returning interstitial fluid and inflammatory component cells into the bloodstream and provide an anti-inflammatory effect by decreasing pain mediators such as prostaglandin E2 and substance P. Bromelain provides for systemic proteolytic enzyme therapy and is a mixture of proteolytic enzymes found in pineapple plants. The authors state a few articles in the past have explored using bromelain after wisdom teeth removal but with inconsistent results. For example one study showed bromelain … Read more