Effect of narcotic pain reliever on pulp tests in women.
The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of one dose of a common narcotic-based pain reliever (Vicodin) on a battery of oral sensitivity tests across time in women. Fifteen Caucasian women randomly were given an oral dose of 10 mg of hydrocodone/1000 mg of acetaminophen or placebo in a double-blind, cross-over design. At baseline (before drug) and after 2, 4, and 8 h each subject was evaluated for sensitivity thresholds with four tests around an experimental tooth: (a) electric pulp tester applied to exposed root; (b) electric pulp tester on adjacent mucosa; (c) increasing probe pressure (grams) on adjacent mucosa; and (d) decreasing cold probe (degrees C) on the exposed root. The outcomes of all tests were not statistically different between drug and placebo treatments at any time point (p > 0.05). These results suggest that a systemic dose of hydrocodone/acetaminophen has little impact on healthy pulp or mucosa sensitivity in women as measured by common diagnostic tests.
Department of Surgical Specialties, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry, Lincoln 68583-0757, USA.
Anthony C
AC
Kardelis
Trudy A
TA
Meinberg
Heather R
HR
Sulte
Tom G
TG
Gound
David B
DB
Marx
Richard A
RA
Reinhardt
D000082:Acetaminophen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003791:Dental Pulp Test / Q000379:methods; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004568:Electrodiagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006853:Hydrocodone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017288:Pain Threshold / Q000187:drug effects*; D014098:Toothache / Q000517:prevention & control*
D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D004338:Drug Combinations; C083640:acetaminophen, hydrocodone drug combination; D000082:Acetaminophen; D006853:Hydrocodone