Music Therapy for Alleviating Pain and Enhancing Quality of Life During Endodontic Treatment in Lagos, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: The oral health-related quality of life (OHRQOL) in patients undergoing endodontic procedures is closely linked to their emotional and psychological well-being, which is influenced by factors such as pain management, anxiety, and overall satisfaction with the dental experience. This study aims to investigate the impact of music therapy on endodontic patients' quality of life, with a particular focus on its role in reducing anxiety and managing pain. METHODS: This study employed a quasi-experimental design among 35 patients over 18 years of age who visited the LASUTH dental clinic for endodontic treatment. The study was utilized to determine the effect of slow, jazz music on pain perception, anxiety, and oral health-related quality of life of patients receiving endodontic therapy. The Modified Dental Anxiety Scale (MDAS), the Numerical Graphic Pain Rating Scale (NPRS), and the Oral Health Impact Profile-14 (OHIP-14) were utilized for baseline and pot-intervention data collection. Comparative analysis for continuous variables was done using an independent sample T-test and Repeated measures Analysis of variance (ANOVA). Statistical significance was set at P-values <0.05. RESULTS: Psychological discomfort showed significant reductions in both groups, with a mean difference of 1.507 in the test group (p=0.006) and 1.441 in the control group (p=0.015). Psychological disability also decreased significantly in both groups, with mean differences of 1.168 (p=0.010) and 0.987 (p=0.041) in the test and control groups, respectively. NPRS scores decreased significantly in both groups, with a larger mean difference in the test group (2.660 ± 0.691, p<0.001) compared to the control group (1.920 ± 0.753, p=0.016). OHIP-14 scores also showed significant reductions, with a mean difference of 5.543 ± 1.990 in the test group (p=0.009) and 5.291 ± 2.169 in the control group (p=0.020). There was however no significant difference in pain perception reduction and OHRQOL between the intervention and control groups, despite higher reductions observed in the test group. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated significant within-group reductions in psychological discomfort and psychological disability domains of OHIP-14, MDAS, and NPRS scores, with the test group showing more pronounced improvements. However, the lack of statistically significant differences in key outcomes such as pain perception and oral health-related quality of life between the intervention and control groups limits the generalizability and applicability of these findings. While both interventions appear effective in alleviating psychological and physical distress, further research—particularly randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes—is necessary to determine whether music therapy provides measurable benefits beyond standard care.