Objective To investigate the effect of dexamethasone and medical-honey in the inflammatory complications after mandibular impacted third molar extraction.

Methods Eighty eligible patients were selected and randomly divided into the control group, dexamethasone group, medical-honey group, and combined group (dexamethasone and medical-honey), with 20 cases in each group.The patients were followed up at 1 day, 3 days and 7 days after surgery, and the postoperative incisor distance in the state of wide-open mouth, visual analogue scale, total analgesic dose, and facial swelling were compared among the four groups.

Results The dexamethasone group, medical honey group, and combined group showed smaller interdental distances, lower pain intensity, less total dose of analgesics, and lighter facial swelling compared to the control group, with statistically significant differences in the same time of postoperation (P < 0.05).Except for the first day after surgery, there was no significant difference in interdental distance between the combined group and the dexamethasone group (P>0.05), and for all other indicators at the same postoperative time, the combined group had better effects than the dexamethasone group or the medical-honey group (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).

Conclusions Dexamethasone and medical-honey can reduce the inflammatory complications after mandibular impacted third molar extraction.Both drugs alone or combination can provide a simple, safe, and painless method to eliminate postoperative discomfort, and the combined effect is better.