Comparison of Post-Operative Endodontic Pain Using Sodium Hypochlorite, Hydrogen Peroxide, and Normal Saline as Root Canal Irrigants

NCT07486245 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: CMHMultan
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 90
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Pain is the main reason patients visit a dentist for root canal treatment. Sometimes, patients experience pain between visits, which can make the treatment uncomfortable and stressful. This study aims to compare three commonly used root canal irrigants-sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and normal saline-to see which one causes less pain after treatment. Patients with acute pulpitis who require root canal treatment will be randomly assigned to one of the three irrigant groups. Pain will be measured using a simple Visual Analog Scale (VAS) at specific time points after treatment. The results of this study will help dentists choose the most effective and comfortable irrigant, improving patient experience and reducing the likelihood of unscheduled visits due to pain.

Conditions

Acute Pulpitis; Post Endodontic Pain

Keywords

root canal treatment; endodontic pain; sodium hypochlorite; hydrogen peroxide; normal saline; dental irrigants

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Post-operative pain

  Post-operative pain will be measured using a 10-cm Visual Analog Scale (VAS), where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates worst possible pain. Pain scores will be recorded at follow-up and compared across the three irrigant groups to determine differences in post-endodontic pain intensity.

  72 hours after root canal treatment

Study Arms (3)

Sodium Hypochlorite Irrigant Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive standard root canal treatment using 2.5% sodium hypochlorite as the root canal irrigant. Pain will be assessed at specified intervals after the procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Drug: Sodium Hypochlorite 2.5%

Hydrogen Peroxide Irrigant Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive standard root canal treatment using 3% hydrogen peroxide as the root canal irrigant. Pain will be assessed at specified intervals after the procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Drug: Hydrogen Peroxide

Normal Saline Irrigant Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this group will receive standard root canal treatment using normal saline as the root canal irrigant. Pain will be assessed at specified intervals after the procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Drug: Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl)

Interventions

Sodium Hypochlorite 2.5% DRUG

Sodium hypochlorite 2.5% will be used as the root canal irrigant during standard root canal treatment. The solution will be applied throughout the mechanical cleaning and shaping of the canals. Pain will be assessed post-procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Sodium Hypochlorite Irrigant Group

Hydrogen Peroxide DRUG

Hydrogen peroxide 3% will be used as the root canal irrigant during standard root canal treatment. The solution will be applied throughout the mechanical cleaning and shaping of the canals. Pain will be assessed post-procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Hydrogen Peroxide Irrigant Group

Normal Saline (0.9% NaCl) DRUG

Normal saline (0.9% sodium chloride solution) will be used as the root canal irrigant during standard root canal treatment. The solution will be applied throughout the mechanical cleaning and shaping of the canals. Pain will be assessed post-procedure using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS).

Normal Saline Irrigant Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 50 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Male or female patients aged 18-50 years. Diagnosed with acute pulpitis with pain duration ≤ 3 days. Planned to undergo root canal treatment. Willing to provide informed consent and comply with follow-up.

You may not qualify if:

• Teeth presenting with fluctuant facial swelling (acute apical abscess). Teeth with difficult access opening or instrumentation (e.g., malposed teeth). Presence of vertical tooth fracture (root canal treatment contraindicated). Patients with systemic conditions contraindicating dental treatment. Patients currently taking analgesics or antibiotics that may affect pain assessment.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• CMH Multan Institute of Medical Sciences: lead

Study Sites (1)

CMH Multan

Multan Khurd, Pakistan

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Hydrogen Peroxide; Saline Solution

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Peroxides; Oxides; Anions; Ions; Electrolytes; Inorganic Chemicals; Reactive Oxygen Species; Free Radicals; Oxygen Compounds; Organic Chemicals; Crystalloid Solutions; Isotonic Solutions; Solutions; Pharmaceutical Preparations

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: Pain scores will be recorded by an assessor blinded to the type of irrigant used to minimize bias. The participant and care provider will not be blinded due to the nature of the intervention.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER GOV
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Doctor

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three parallel groups (sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, or normal saline) to receive standard root canal treatment. Outcomes (pain scores) will be measured at predefined time points after intervention to compare efficacy among groups.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 17, 2026
• First Posted: March 20, 2026
• Study Start: March 15, 2025
• Primary Completion: November 13, 2025
• Study Completion: November 24, 2025
• Last Updated: March 20, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-03

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

PA (1)