Hydrogen peroxide mouth rinse: an analgesic post-tonsillectomy.

OBJECTIVE To compare the analgesic efficacy of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) mouth rinse with control for post-tonsillectomy pain management. DESIGN Double-blinded, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-seven patients from 5 to 14 years old undergoing electrocautery tonsillectomy were randomized to either the H2O2 mouth rinse or the water rinse (control) group. For 14 days, patients recorded pain levels twice daily using a visual analogue scale. Analgesic uses, as well as any complications, were also noted by the patients. RESULTS Thirty-seven patients completed the study, 21 in the treatment group and 16 in the control group. Mean postoperative days of pain were 10.3 and 8.3, respectively, and differed significantly (p = .008). Mean postoperative days of analgesic use were 9.0 and 6.7, respectively, and differed significantly (p = .005). Only one incidence of postoperative hemorrhage occurred in the study group. CONCLUSION In our study, the H2O2 mouth rinse does not provide a better analgesic effect than the water rinse for post-tonsillectomy pain relief.