Melissa Officinalis Aromatherapy for Dental Anxiety in Children

Authors
Category Primary study
Registry of TrialsClinicalTrials.gov
Year 2026
This clinical study will look at whether a plant-based essential oil called \"Melissa officinalis\" (lemon balm) can help reduce fear and stress in children during dental treatment. Children between 6 and 10 years old who need a mandibular injection for a pulpotomy or pulpectomy will be invited to participate. They will be randomly assigned to one of three groups: one group will receive aromatherapy with \*Melissa officinalis\* from brand A, another group will receive the same essential oil from brand B, and a third group will receive the usual behavioral management used in pediatric dentistry, but without aromatherapy. The essential oil will be diffused in the dental room so that the child can gently inhale the aroma starting a few minutes before the injection and throughout the procedure. The study team will measure the child\'s dental anxiety using a child-friendly questionnaire with drawings of faces, observe pain behaviors during the injection, and record the child\'s own rating of pain with a faces scale. Heart rate and oxygen saturation will also be monitored as objective signs of stress. The goal is to find out whether \"Melissa officinalis\" aromatherapy is a safe, simple, non-invasive way to make dental visits less stressful and more comfortable for children, and whether there are meaningful differences between the two commercial products.
Epistemonikos ID: 6a1abf29664e2906921752e0b144be56ac2706b5
First added on: May 19, 2026