Dentists' Group Issues New Pain-Control Guidelines for Teens, Adults

Follow Drugslib on

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com.

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Feb. 6, 2024 -- New guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) are cracking down on the use of opioids for tooth pain.

The guidelines say that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) taken alone or alongside acetaminophen should be the first-line treatment for managing short-term dental pain in teenagers and adults.

The available medical evidence indicates that those medications can effectively manage pain from a toothache or after a tooth removal, an ADA guideline panel concluded.

The guidelines also say that opioid painkillers should be prescribed under limited circumstances, after considering any risk factors for opioid misuse.

Dentists should avoid providing “just in case” opioid prescriptions for patients, and use extreme caution in prescribing opioids to teens and young adults, the guidelines say.

Patients also should be educated on proper storage and disposal of opioid drugs, according to the guidelines.

The guidelines were developed under a $1.5 million grant handed down by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2020 to develop guidelines for handling dental pain in patients.

“We hope this clinical practice guideline will reduce the risk of opioid addiction, overdose and diversion,” Marta Sokolowska, deputy center director for substance use and behavioral health at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, said in an ADA news release.

A previous set of recommendations for pediatric patients was published in 2023.

Over-the-counter NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen sodium. There also are prescription-strength NSAIDs available for more severe pain.

“It’s important to take special consideration when prescribing any type of pain reliever, and now dentists have a set of evidence-based recommendations to determine the best care for their patients,” said senior author and panel chair Dr. Paul Moore, a professor emeritus at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Dental Medicine.

“Patients are encouraged to discuss pain management expectations and strategies with their dentist so they can feel confident that they are receiving the safest, most effective treatment for their symptoms,” Moore said.

The new guidelines appear Feb. 5 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Sources

  • American Dental Association, news release, Feb. 5, 2024

    • Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

    Source: HealthDay

    Posted : 2024-02-06 22:15

    Read more

    Disclaimer

    Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

    The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

    Popular Keywords