Assessment of the Effectiveness of the 3-3-3 Ibuprofen Rule as a Temporary Method for the Management of Acute Tooth Pain

Background: Tooth pain is a common dental emergency, and effective short-term management is essential when definitive treatment is delayed. We evaluated the effectiveness of the 3-3-3 ibuprofen regimen as a temporary method for managing acute tooth pain. Methods: This prospective single-arm study included 30 patients with acute tooth pain attending at Dental Unit of Dhaka National Medical Institute Hospital from October 25 to December 25. Pain was assessed using a 0–10 VAS before treatment and daily for three days after starting the 3-3-3 ibuprofen regimen. Required dental interventions (scaling, RCT, extraction, abscess drainage, or none) were recorded, and pain score changes over three days were analyzed using the Friedman test. Results: The median pain score significantly decreased from 7 (IQR: 6–8) at baseline to 0 (IQR: 0–1) by Day 2 and Day 3 (p < 0.001). After three days of treatment, 66.7% of patients reported no pain, and 33.3% reported mild pain. Despite effective pain relief, 66.7% of patients required RCT, 10.1% required extraction, and smaller proportions required abscess drainage, filling or scaling and curettage. Pain relief varied by subsequent dental treatment, with complete relief in patients who required filling or no further treatment. No adverse effect was found among the patients. Conclusion: The 3-3-3 ibuprofen regimen provides rapid and significant short-term pain relief in patients with acute tooth pain. While it serves as an effective temporary analgesic, most patients still require definitive dental interventions. This regimen can be used to manage pain until definitive treatment is available. J Dhaka National Med. Coll. Hos. 2026; 32 (02): 27-32