Introduction
The first case of Corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was reported in
December 2019 from China. Within 3 months, it had affected more than 170
countries around the globe and countries worldwide have imposed lockdown
to limit the spread of COVID-19.1 All elective
surgeries and routine dental procedures were also suspended and only
emergency cases were being treated by dentists across the globe .As a
result of this, some necessary measures need to be followed in patients
of very severe pain with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis without
dental visit for temporary pain management until further appropriate
treatment can be provided.2, 3 To address the need in
ongoing phase of lockdown, the dental patients are encouraged to
telephonically contact the dentists for suggestions to manage their
pain. For the reduction of pain, most of the clinicians are prescribed
systemic drugs, such as analgesic and non steroidal anti-inflammatory
drugs. However, the most effective drugs in terms of overcoming
post-operative pain and facial swelling are steroids which exhibit
excellent ant inflammatory efficacy 4. Gallatin et al
have concluded that the intraosseous injection of slow-releasing
methyl-prednisolone can temporarily relieve the symptoms of irreversible
pulpitis until a definitive clinical treatment.5However, it should be noted that literature does not suggest any
clinical guidelines to manage patients with symptomatic pulpitis without
any dental visit, which is quite difficult in the current scenario.
Thus a study was planned on patients who contacted telephonically during
lockdown period which was declared on 22 March 2020 in India with the
aim to evaluate the beneficial effects of orally administered
corticosteroid in alleviating the pain of symptomatic irreversible
pulpitis.