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Related Experiment Videos

Auricular electrical stimulation and dental pain threshold

M S Simmons1, T D Oleson

  • 1Department of Orofacial Pain and Occlusion, UCLA School of Dentistry.

Anesthesia Progress
|January 1, 1993
PubMed
Summary

Auricular electrical stimulation (AES) offers mild dental pain relief. This effect is partially reversed by naloxone, suggesting the involvement of the body's natural pain-relief system.

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Area of Science:

  • Pain Management
  • Neuroscience
  • Acupuncture and Related Therapies

Background:

  • Dental pain is a common issue.
  • Current pain management strategies have limitations.
  • Non-pharmacological approaches like auricular electrical stimulation (AES) are being explored.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the effectiveness of auricular electrical stimulation (AES) in producing dental analgesia.
  • To determine if the analgesic effect of AES is reversible by naloxone.
  • To explore the potential role of the endogenous opioid system in AES-induced analgesia.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted with 40 subjects.
  • Subjects were randomly assigned to four groups: AES with saline, AES with naloxone, placebo AES with saline, or placebo AES with naloxone.
  • Dental pain threshold was measured using a dental pulp tester.
  • Naloxone or saline was administered intravenously.

Main Results:

  • Auricular electrical stimulation (AES) significantly elevated the dental pain threshold by 18% compared to placebo.
  • The analgesic effect of AES was partially blocked by naloxone, with a mean pain threshold increase of 23% in the saline group versus 12% in the naloxone group.
  • Placebo stimulation groups showed no significant change in pain threshold.

Conclusions:

  • Auricular electrical stimulation (AES) provides a small but significant elevation in dental pain threshold.
  • The partial reversal of AES analgesia by naloxone suggests that the endogenous opioid system plays a role in this effect.
  • AES may be a viable non-pharmacological adjunct for dental pain management.

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