Effect of caffeine on pulpitis pain and associated anxiety

LIU Yu-bo; LI Xin-wei; LI Xiao-jing; SUN Shu-kai; WU Li-an

doi:10.15956/j.cnki.chin.j.conserv.dent.2025.04.002

Abstract：AIM:To investigate the effect of caffeine on pulpitis pain and associated anxiety.METHODS:From October 2023 to August 2024,82 patients with acute pulpitis who had ingested caffeine within 4 hours before treatment and met the inclusion criteria were selected from the Hospital of Stomatology and Tangdu Hospital of the Fourth Military Medical University.Using a 1∶1 matching design,82 patients who had not consumed caffeine within 4 hours before treatment were also selected..In addition,82 healthy people who underwent oral physical examinations during the same period were included as controls.The Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)and Generalized Anxiety Disorder(GAD-7)were used to score pain and anxiety.A mouse model of experimental pulpitis was established by dental pulp exposure.Pain behavior was assessed before and after caffeine administration using pain behavior tests,while anxiety-like behavior was evaluated using the open field test and elevated plus maze test.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to measure the levels of Inter-leukin-1β(IL-1β),Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and Corticosterone(CORT)in peripheral blood of mice.RESULTS:Patients with acute pulpitis had higher anxiety scores compared to the control group.The pain and anxiety scores of acute pulpitis patients who had consumed caffeine within 4 hours before treatment were lower than those of patients who had not consumed caffeine within 4 hours.The pulp exposure method can establish a mouse model of experimental pulpitis,which causes pain accompanied by anxiety-like behavior,and the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and CORT in peripheral blood are increased.After 40 mg/kg caffeine administration,pain and anxiety-like behavior of mice were relieved,and the levels of IL-1β,TNF-α and CORT in peripheral blood were decreased.CONCLUSION:Pulpitis pain is associated with anxiety,and caffeine can alleviate both pain and anxiety of pulpitis.