Efficacy and safety of acetaminophen and caffeine for the management of acute dental pain: A systematic review

Abstract

Aim: Because the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioids has several restrictions, this review evaluates the efficacy and safety of acetaminophen and caffeine for the management of dental pain. Methods: A search of the literature was carried out looking for randomized controlled trials on the use of acetaminophen and caffeine for the management of dental pain, performed on humans and written in English, Italian, French or Arabic languages. The following databases were searched: PubMed, The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Ovid Medline and Scopus. Results: Three controlled clinical trials were retrieved and evaluated by using the Study Quality Assessment Tool of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence. Conclusion: The use of acetaminophen and caffeine appears to be effective in achieving good control of acute dental pain compared to placebo and other analgesic medications, but clinical recommendations cannot be made for the limited number of studies assessed. Keywords: Acetaminophen, Caffeine, Dental pain, Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, Opioids, Systematic review