A new chilled face mask has been developed to help reduce toothache following a wisdom tooth extraction; the product, based on the same cooling technology designed to ease the pain of arthritis, has gone to clinical trials and patients will have to wear it for an hour after having a wisdom tooth removed.
The mask, called Hilotherm mask is supposed to narrow blood vessels and limit blood flow to damaged areas of tissue, which reduces inflammation, swelling and discomfort. The product is currently on trial at King’s College Hospital NHS Trust has tubes running through it that keep the temperature steady and prevent the blood vessels from widening again, as it has been suggested they do if the temperature drops below 15c. The mask is designed to be placed on the patients face straight after a wisdom tooth has been taken out and it could help to boost healing rates as well as reducing pain.
The British Dental Association’s scientific adviser, Professor Damien Walmsley, commented that ‘we look forward to the results of the trial – if positive it will be of great benefits to patients. The treatment also has the advantage of being a relatively low cost approach to a common problem in healthcare.’