Can Cryotherapy Reduce Pain During Dental Injections?

Dr. Rohini Dua, Dr. Shivani Gupta, D. Arushi

Abstract: Background: Pain and discomfort during local anaesthesia administration are prevalent issues in paediatric dentistry. Although topical anaesthetics such as benzocaine are commonly used, their effectiveness varies. Recent research indicates that precooling measures, such as ice application, may alleviate pain. However, there is minimal information to compare these techniques in children. Objective: To check the intensity of pain using VAS scale while administering local anesthetic solution using Benzocaine gel 20% and Cryotherapy. Method: In this study, 30 pediatric patients between 5 years and 8 years of age were selected who needed mandibular infiltration for any procedure. The participants were allocated into two separate groups i.e. Group 1-Benzocaine gel 20% and Group 2-Cryotherapy where frozen ear bud was used. Upon application of the above-mentioned agents VAS reading was recorded Subsequent to inserting the needle. The Mann-Whitney U test was employed to analyze the data statistically. Results: No significant difference in VAS scores was found between the benzocaine and ice groups, according to the analysis (p = 0.656). Conclusion: Both Topical Benzocaine gel and cold ice application provided comparable pain relief, Revealing no significant statistical disparity in patient-reported VAS scores (p > 0.05).

Keywords: pain relief in children, benzocaine gel, cryotherapy, local anaesthesia discomfort, VAS pain scores

How to Cite?: Dr. Rohini Dua, Dr. Shivani Gupta, D. Arushi, "Can Cryotherapy Reduce Pain During Dental Injections?", Volume 14 Issue 12, December 2025, International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR), Pages: 69-72, https://www.ijsr.net/getabstract.php?paperid=SR251201123744, DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.21275/SR251201123744