Comparative Evaluation of Pain Perception and Postoperative Pain in Children with Precooled Injection Sites Using...

Pain management plays a pivotal role in pediatric dentistry, influencing a child's overall experience and future cooperation with dental care. Local anesthesia (LA) administration and postoperative discomfort following tooth extraction often contribute to anxiety and negative perceptions. Nonpharmacological methods, such as cryotherapy, have shown promise in reducing pain. Popsicles, commonly used as a cooling agent, may serve as a dual-function intervention-precooling the injection site and providing postoperative analgesia.

To evaluate and compare pain perception during LA administration and postoperative pain in children treated with and without popsicle-based precooling.

This randomized controlled trial included 48 children aged 4-9 years requiring primary tooth extraction. Participants were randomly allocated into three groups: Group A (control, no precooling), group B (precooling with a standard popsicle), and group C (precooling with a popsicle of choice). Pain perception was assessed using the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale (WB) and the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale during LA administration and 30 minutes postextraction. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests.

Significant differences in pain scores were found among the groups during both LA administration and 30 minutes postextraction (p < 0.001). Both intervention groups reported significantly lower pain scores than the control group, with no significant difference between the two popsicle groups.

Precooling injection sites with popsicles effectively reduces pain perception and postoperative discomfort in children. This simple, cost-effective, and child-friendly approach offers a valuable addition to pediatric pain management strategies.

Baldawa HS, Gurunathan D. Comparative Evaluation of Pain Perception and Postoperative Pain in Children with Precooled Injection Sites Using Popsicles for Local Anesthesia: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2026;19(5):549-553.