Effectiveness of green tea mouthwash in postoperative pain control following surgical removal of impacted third molars: double blind randomized clinical trial

Abstract

BackgroundPain following surgical removal of impacted molars has remained an important concern among practitioners. Various protocols have been proposed to reduce postoperative pain. However, each one has special side effects and limitations. As green tea possesses anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, the aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness of green tea mouthwash in controlling postoperative pain.Materials and methodsIn a study with split-mouth and double blind design, 44 patients in need of bilateral removal of impacted third molars underwent randomized surgical extraction; following one surgery patients rinsed with a green tea mouthwash from the first to seventh postoperative day and after other extraction rinsed with placebo mouthwash in the same duration. Both patients and surgeon were blinded to the type of mouthwash. The predictor variable was type of mouthwash and primary outcome variable was postoperative pain measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) during first week after surgery. In addition, number of analgesics patients used after surgery recorded. To measure the effect of green tea mouthwash, repeated measures test with confidence interval of 95% was performed.ResultsTotal of 43 patients with mean age of 24 years underwent total of 86 surgeries. VAS value had no statistically difference prior rinsing among groups (P-value > 0.05). However, the mean value of VAS following rinsing with green tea was statistically lower than placebo in postoperative days of 3–7 (P-value < 0.05). In addition, while rinsing with green tea, patients took significantly lower number of analgesics after surgery (P-value < 0.05). No side effects reported.ConclusionGreen tea mouthwash could be an appropriate and safe choice to control postoperative pain after third molar surgery.

Efficacy of Two Mouth Rinses in Reducing Aerosol Bacterial Load during Ultrasonic Scaling

“…With the help of electrical mortar green tea leaves were powdered; 100 grams of powder was mixed with 500 ml of ethanol for 48 hours; After 48 hours this mixture was filtered and the sediment was removed; The remnant solution was placed in a hot air oven at 50°C for 3-4 days; After 4 days the powder of green tea extract was obtained [21]. Finally, green tea mouthwash of 5% was prepared by adding 5 g of the extract to 100 ml of distilled water and poured into bottles [22].…”

“…For reducing post-operative complications of third molar surgery, study by Eshghpour et al, recommended daily rinsing with green tea mouthwash [21].…”

Anatomical study of the relationship of impacted mandibular third molar root apex to inferior alveolar canal in Kurdistan population using orthopantomogram

“…It should be noted that changes in human lifestyle have resulted in smaller jaws sizes; hence, the space available for the third molars to erupt has decreased. 19 Furthermore, racial differences can affect the maturation and eruption timing and also the size of the jaw; this would also explain the different rates of incidence reported for different countries. 18,27,32 In the present study, touching the superior border of the IAC represents the highest percentage than the other types of proximity (34.89%), while panoramic signs of the deviation of the canal and narrowing of the roots were the least frequent.…”

“…Class III teeth present more a more risk of damaging the inferior alveolar nerve or fracturing the mandible. 18,19 Based on Winter's classification, the angle between the longitudinal axis of the second and third molars (measured by an orthodontic protractor) is categorized as vertical impaction: 10 to −10; mesioangular impaction: 11−79; and horizontal impaction: 80-100; distoangular impaction: −11 to −79. Teeth outside of these categories were classified as aberrant.…”

Mandibular Wisdom Teeth;

“…Therefore, available space for wisdom teeth, which erupt in the end has decreased. 23 Moreover, delayed mineralization of wisdom teeth and early physical maturation is a possible reason of increased rate of mandibular third molar impaction. 9 Furthermore, ethnic variations could affect the maturation and eruption time as well as size of the jaw.…”