The Global Need for Easy and Valid Assessment Tools for Orofacial Pain

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Dental Research
• Pain Management

Background:

• The World Health Organization (WHO) resolution WHA74.5 highlights the urgent need for global oral health improvement.
• Untreated oral diseases are highly prevalent worldwide.
• Orofacial pain, often linked to poor oral health, is a primary reason for emergency dental visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To emphasize the importance of including orofacial pain data in evidence-based oral health decision-making.
• To highlight the necessity of reliable and valid assessment tools for orofacial pain and treatment outcomes.
• To advocate for the development of brief, translatable, and culturally adaptable assessment tools for global implementation.

Main Methods:

• Review of the current landscape of orofacial pain assessment tools.
• Highlighting the role of the International Network for Orofacial Pain and Related Disorders Methodology (INfORM).
• Mention of ongoing development of a short clinical assessment tool for orofacial pain diagnostics by an INfORM working group.

Main Results:

• Existing efforts by INfORM have laid groundwork for developing comprehensive assessment tools.
• A new, short clinical assessment tool for orofacial pain diagnostics is nearing completion.
• The need for further development and testing of brief, valid, and adaptable tools for global use is identified.

Conclusions:

• Reliable and valid orofacial pain assessment is essential for informed oral health strategies.
• Development of accessible assessment tools is a prerequisite for implementing effective global interventions.
• Addressing orofacial pain is critical for reducing the global burden of oral health care needs.