Tooth pain could be reduced with acupuncture.

Anyone feeling pain after a cosmetic dentistry procedure may be able to reduce their discomfort through acupuncture, it has been claimed.

Dr Mike Cummings, medical director at the British Medical Acupuncture Society, said because of the localised effects of acupuncture, the treatment could be an effective method of pain relief for those who are feeling down.

He commented: “Acupuncture also has effects on sensory nerves in the spinal cord – called segmental effects – and in nerve endings around the area stimulated, called local effects.”

Dr Cummings added that the treatment could also be perfect for women after pregnancy, as it has been found to lift the mood and help with depression.

According to research carried out scientists at the University of York and the University of Hull, acupuncture could have a significant effect on specific nerve structures, resulting in a sensation called deqi.

Analysis showed this switches off areas within the brain that are associated with the processing of pain.