Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols emphasize multimodal strategies to improve postoperative outcomes. In children undergoing dental treatment under general anesthesia, the recovery is often accompanied by pain, agitation, and oral discomfort. Although lollipop sucking may alleviate these issues through physiological and psychological mechanisms, some evidence supporting its use remains limited. In this work, we evaluated whether early lollipop sucking enhances recovery quality and satisfaction in the population.
Methods: From March to October 2025, we conducted a randomized controlled trial (RCT) at School of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, China. The participants included children aged 2 to 10 years who underwent outpatient dental treatment under general anesthesia. 140 patients were randomly divided into two groups: one group received a lollipop, while the other group did not, after awakening from anesthesia. We compared the primary and secondary outcome measures, which included postoperative recovery quality (QoR-15 score), pain (FLACC scale), emergence agitation (PAED scale), duration of PACU stay, time to discharge, and the parental satisfaction.
Results: In this study, we collected and analyzed data from 140 patients. The lollipop group demonstrated significantly superior outcomes compared to the non-lollipop group. Specifically, they exhibited higher QoR-15 scores (131.81 ± 1.52 vs. 126.70 ± 0.90, P < 0.01) and lower FLACC pain scores (2.44 ± 1.07 vs. 4.03 ± 1.99, P < 0.001). Emergence agitation was also significantly reduced, with median PAED scores of 5.00 [4.00,6.00] versus 7.00 [5.00,10.00] (P < 0.01). Furthermore, the lollipop group experienced shorter durations of PACU stay (20.46 ± 3.75 min vs. 25.79 ± 3.04 min, P < 0.001) and expedited discharge times (median 120.00 [120.00,135.00] min vs. 140.00 [135.00,150.00] min, P < 0.001). Parental satisfaction was also significantly higher in the lollipop group (P = 0.030). After adjusting for potential confounders, lollipop use remained independently associated with improved recovery quality, reduced pain and agitation, and shortened recovery times.
Conclusions: Early lollipop use in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) significantly improves postoperative recovery in children undergoing outpatient dental procedures under general anesthesia. This intervention effectively reduces pain and emergence agitation, shortens recovery and discharge times, and enhances parental satisfaction. As a simple, safe, and non-pharmacological approach, it aligns well with the principles of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) and offers a practical approach to optimizing pediatric perioperative care.
Trial registration number: The trial was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2500099389) on March 24, 2025.
Keywords: Dental treatment; Lollipop; Outpatient general anesthesia; Pediatric; Recovery quality.
© 2026. The Author(s).