Careful Prescribing of Opioids.

Dental Opioid Prescriptions May Increase Risk Of Subsequent Abuse, Study Suggests.

The Washington Post (12/3, Cohen) reports a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that “nearly 6 percent of almost 15,000 people between 16 and 25 years old who received initial opioid prescriptions in 2015 from dentists were diagnosed with opioid abuse within a year.” In comparison, the researchers found that “0.4 percent in a similar group who didn’t get dental opioids were diagnosed with opioid abuse during the same period.” The article notes a “study in The Journal of the American Dental Association found that anti-inflammatory analgesics, such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen, generally work better than opioids at easing acute dental pain.”

Follow all of the ADA’s advocacy efforts on opioids at ADA.org/opioids.

As a public service, the ADA Center for Professional Success website is now offering free access to information on safe prescribing, online continuing education, and other tools for managing dental pain, especially for patients who are at risk for drug overdose or addiction. For more information, visit Success. ADA.org/opioids.