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Pain management in children

BDJ In Practice volume 34, page 27 (2021)Cite this article

In 2020, less than three in ten (29.8%) children in England saw an NHS dentist.1 The lack of dental access during the COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with parents' reluctance to take their children to the dentist, has amplified the needs of those seeking treatment.

Significant numbers of children first attend a dentist when suffering with dental pain. In a busy dental practice, emergency appointments can often be time limited, making the treatment challenging for less experienced colleagues. These constraints, coupled with a lack of accurate diagnosis, can lead to inappropriate pain management resulting in a child that continues to have a symptomatic tooth and disgruntled parents.

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References

  1. NHS Digital. NHS Dental Statistics for England 2020-2021, Biannual Report. Available online at: https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/publications/statistical/nhs-dental-statistics/2020-21-biannual-report (Accessed February 2021).

  2. Scottish Dental Clinical Effectiveness Programme. Prevention and Management of Dental Caries in Children [Internet]. 2021. Available online at: www.sdcep.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SDCEP-Prevention-and-Management-of-Dental-Caries-in-Children-2nd-Edition.pdf (accessed May 2021).

  3. Rodd H, Waterhouse P, Fuks A, Fayles S, Moffat M. Pulp therapy for primary molars. Int J Paed Dent 2006;16: 15-23.

  4. Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK). Selection Criteria for Dental Radiography. Available online at: https://fgdp.org.uk/selection-criteria-dental-radiography/title-page (Accessed May 2021).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. St Helier Hospital, SM5 1AA, Carshalton, UK

    Ami Mehta

  2. Aurora Dental and Implant Clinic, Corsham, UK

    Francine Fletcher

  3. London, UK

    Len D´Cruz

Authors
  1. Ami Mehta
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  2. Francine Fletcher
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  3. Len D´Cruz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Francine Fletcher.

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Cite this article

Mehta, A., Fletcher, F. & D´Cruz, L. Pain management in children. BDJ In Pract 34, 27 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-021-0766-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41404-021-0766-8

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