Acupuncture in the Management of Acute Dental Pain

Introduction Acute dental pain is the main reason for seeking dental services to provide urgent dental care; there is consensus about the use of alternative therapies, such as acupuncture, to control dental pain in pre-dental care. Objective Evaluate the use of acupuncture in reducing the intensity of acute dental pain in pre-dental care, in patients waiting for treatment in emergency dental care. Materials and methods This study was conducted at the after-hours emergency dental care center of the Piracicaba Dental School and at the Emergency Center Dental Specialties I in Piracicaba, São Paulo (Brazil). The sample consisted of 120 patients. A 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, used alone, or combined. Results A reduction in pain was observed (in 120 patients: mean initial VAS = 6.558 ± 1.876, mean final VAS = 0.962 ± 2.164, p < 0.00001). Conclusion The results of this study indicate that the effects of acupuncture analgesia could be a technical adjunct to pain control in patients with acute dental pain, contributing to the restoration of health with social benefits.