title: Determining toothache severity in pediatric patients: A study.
abstract: To correlate sodium-potassium levels in saliva of pediatric patients having different intensities of toothache assessed by Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) in age group 3-14 yrs. A prospective study of 50 children having different intensities of pain was carried out in the Dept. of Pedodontics, Sareetha Dental College and Hospital. 50 children (aged 3-14 yrs) having different intensities of toothache including normal children (control) were included in the study. Saliva samples were collected and Na+, K+ levels in saliva were measured by using Na+, k+ colorimeter kit. Photographs were taken using Digital camera and VAS was prepared accordingly. Sodium levels decreased with increasing pain intensity and potassium levels increased, facial expressions correlated with Na+, K+ levels. Correlation between Na+, K+ levels and pain intensity exists. Also, VAS is a valid measure for pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Saveetha Dental College, Chennai, India. vg07@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chandrasekar
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ramani
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003124:Colorimetry; D005149:Facial Expression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods*; D011188:Potassium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D012964:Sodium / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014098:Toothache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium