Lavender vs Bitter Orange Aromatherapy to Reduce Anxiety and Pain in Pediatric Local Anesthesia

Dental anxiety is a significant challenge in pediatric dentistry and is especially pronounced during invasive procedures such as the administration of local anesthetics. High levels of anxiety can amplify pain perception, reduce cooperation, and negatively affect the child's overall dental experience. Although pharmacological approaches such as sedation are available, they may cause undesirable side effects and are not always suitable for children. Consequently, there is increasing interest in safe, non-pharmacological alternatives such as aromatherapy, which utilizes essential plant oils to reduce anxiety and improve patient comfort. Lavender and bitter orange essential oils have demonstrated anxiolytic and calming effects in several clinical studies, with evidence suggesting reductions in physiological stress markers such as pulse rate, blood pressure, and cortisol levels. Aromatherapy via inhalation is non-invasive, inexpensive, and well-tolerated by children. However, despite promising findings, limited research has explored and compared the clinical efficacy of different essential oils specifically in pediatric dental settings during local anesthetic injections. This randomized controlled trial will be conducted at the Pediatric Dentistry Department, Faculty of Dentistry, MSA University. Children aged 6-12 years requiring local anesthetic infiltration will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: lavender inhalation, bitter orange inhalation, or placebo (empty inhaler). Participants will inhale the assigned aroma for 2 minutes prior to the injection. Dental anxiety will be measured using pulse oximetry and blood pressure recordings before and after the procedure, while pain will be evaluated using the FLACC scale during the injection. The results of this study are expected to provide evidence regarding the relative effectiveness of lavender and bitter orange aromatherapy in decreasing dental anxiety and pain during anesthetic administration. The findings may support the integration of aromatherapy as a complementary, child-friendly behavior guidance technique in pediatric dental practice, promoting safer and more holistic anxiety-reduction strategies for young patients