Researchers are finding that dental procedures may look rosier for fearful patients wearing green-tinted glasses.
Dentophobia. Odontophobia. Dental anxiety. Fear of going to the dentist by any other name will still lead to poor dental health.
The levels of anxiety may vary, and the source of that fear could be a result of a past negative experience, embarrassment, family history, a need to feel control, or other factors. Studies have shown that approximately 36% of Americans have some dental anxiety, and 12% report having extreme fear.
While sedation dentistry has helped millions overcome their fears and receive the treatment they need, new solutions—both technological and natural—are always on the horizon to address the anxious patient. Most recently, a clinical trial viewed the problem through green-tinted glasses.
Green Means ‘Go’ for Better Health
The color green has long been used in healthcare environments to promote a sense of calm, healing, and restfulness. It’s the color of nature, after all, which symbolizes growth and renewal. Now, it’s being considered as even more beneficial than simply choosing a paint swatch.
Green light and eyeglasses with green lenses are being proven to reduce pain and relieve anxiety in migraine sufferers as well as patients with fibromyalgia. Studies have shown they can be a natural alternative or supplement to medications used to treat these conditions.
The results haven’t been published yet, but a 2018 study at the University of Arizona revealed promising results for migraine patients with daily exposure to a string of green LED lights. The research was led by Dr. Mohab Ibrahim, who ironically is an anesthesiologist with a PhD in pharmacology. As a specialist in chronic pain, he was initially intrigued when his brother related that he would go sit in the garden rather than take medicine for a headache.
Over time, people in the study using the green lights experienced, on average, a 60% decrease in pain intensity and a 30% drop in migraine frequency each month.
In similar research, Padma Gulur, MD, of Duke Anesthesiology and Health in North Carolina, produced encouraging results for managing the byproduct of severe pain in fibromyalgia patients. By wearing special, green-tinted glasses for hours each day, the subjects experienced greatly reduced anxiety – even though their pain scores didn’t change.
“Pain and anxiety share similar biological mechanisms. Additionally, fear of pain exacerbates anxiety, often leading to increased opioid use,” explained Dr. Gulur.
Filtering Dental Pain and Fear Through a Green Lens
With these types of breakthroughs and benefits, it’s not surprising that research on green glasses has entered the oral health field. In an article published earlier this year in the Journal of the American Dental Association, a randomized clinical trial presented the effectiveness of wearing glasses with green lenses on dental anxiety for third-molar surgery.
The study was led by Dr. Gökhan Gürses, PhD, of Selçuk University in Turkey, and included 128 patients. As a baseline, each participant had their heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen saturation (SpO2) recorded before the procedure, as well as a measurement of their anxiety through a visual analog scale and a State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
The group was then divided, with half being given clear glasses and the other half wearing green lenses for 10 minutes prior to oral surgery. Vitals were measured again pre-op, and the patients continued to wear the glasses throughout their third-molar removal.
Following the procedures, the subjects estimated their degree of intraoperative pain, and vitals were again taken. While there were no notable changes in blood pressure and SpO2, those wearing green glasses showed significantly better results in their anxiety and heart rate.
It’s Easy Being Green
These diverse studies on the use of green lights and lenses to manage patient pain and anxiety are good news on several levels. With efforts to mitigate the opioid crisis, the pursuit of safe, alternative solutions for anxious patients or those suffering from chronic pain conditions is one we can all get behind.
Dentists can add affordable—even disposable—green-tinted glasses to their menu of natural options, such as music, aromatherapy, or guided imagery techniques.
Research is still limited, and effectiveness varies among individuals, but it’s a promising complementary approach for sedation patients. It is also exciting news for fearful dental patients who can filter their anxiety through green-colored glasses.
Author: Susan Richards is a staff writer at DOCS Education with over 20 years of experience in local journalism and business marketing. Her career includes award-winning feature writing, as well as creating content with context for a wide variety of industries.
