Acute dental pain is the most common cause for emergency visits. The impact of the acute dental pain on social activities and behavior is not well understood. Objectives: To evaluate the social, behavioral and functional impacts of acute dental pain. Methods: Fifty-four adult patients (38 females and 16 males, mean age 32 years) with acute pain were evaluated with Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SFMPQ) and a modified Wisconsin Brief Pain Inventory (WBPI). Descriptive analysis and a principal component factor analysis were performed on the SFMPQ and the WBPI to determine the factors related to the acute pain and the social and behavioral characters of the patients. Results: Most patients (91%) visit dentists only when they have acute pain. Seventy-four percent of the patients have had dental pain for at least 3 days and 41% of the patients have lost at least one day of work due to dental pain. The mean VAS score is 72.8 (SD 16.9), SFMPQ sensory score is 12.4 (SD 6.7), and affective score is 3.5 (SD 2.7). The total WBPI score is 45.5 (SD 16.2), indicating severe impairment of overall activities due to pain. Eating, sleep, mood, and enjoyment of life are most significantly impacted, followed by working ability, relationship with other persons, and speaking. Factor analysis of SFMPQ identified three distinctive components of dental pain: superficial (throbbing, shooting, sharp, stabbing and hot-burning), deep (cramping and gnawing), and affective (punishing-cruel, fearful, sickening and tiring-exhausting). Factor analysis of WBPI distinguished a functional component (speaking, eating and work) and a social and behavioral component (enjoyment of life, sleep, relationship with other persons and mood) of acute dental pain. Conclusions: Acute dental pain in dental emergency patients can have significant impact on the social, behavioral activities of patients and cause severe functional impairments.

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