A study published in “The Journal of Emergency Medicine” depicted that in patients with dental periapical abscess pain, single-dose dexamethasone as an adjunct to conventional medical management considerably declines pain 12 hours after therapy when compared to placebo.

Georgia P. Baumann et al. carried out this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to recognize an alternative pain management approach with early usage of dexamethasone as an adjunct to conventional therapies for pain and inflammation at the infection site.

The pain-relieving effect of dexamethasone and an identical placebo was compared in emergency department patients with periapical abscess during a two-year timeframe. Overall, 73 adult participants presenting with physical examination findings consistent with periapical abscess diagnosis were randomized to either oral dexamethasone (n=37) cohort or placebo (n=36) cohort.

Evaluation of pain was done utilizing the verbal numeric scale in person at discharge and via telephone at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after being discharged from the emergency department. At 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours, the follow-up pain scores were procured for 52 participants. Ten dexamethasone-recipients and 11 placebo-recipients were lost to follow-up.

Dexamethasone-treated individuals reported a greater decline in pain at 12 hours in comparison with the placebo-recipients. Alterations in pain scores from baseline and at 24, 48, and 72 hours did not display statistical significance. No side effects were witnessed. Thus, dexamethasone mitigates dental periapical abscess pain after 12 hours.