Prescription Narcotics or Opioids Are Prescribed Too Often!
Prescription Narcotics or Opioids have contributed to too many deaths recently!
The over prescribing of narcotic pain relievers had become a big problem. An article in the June 2016 COMPENDIUM had these things to say about pain prescriptions and pain management. A 2015 study showed that it takes less tablets of fast acting Ibuprofen 400mg to obtain 50% pain relief following all types of surgery than Ibuprofen 400mg with ocycodone 5 mg (a Prescription Narcotics or Opioids)! Ketoprofen 24 and Diclofenac potassium 100 required even less tablets. The number of tablets of Codeine needed to provide 50% pain relief over 4 to 6 hours was more than four times as many as ibuprofen 400 mg (2 tablets vs 9 tablets)!
What we want! Smiling, comfortable patients! If this can be achieved with minimal prescription opioids or narcotics that is even better.
What can happen! Prescription Narcotics or Opioids – sometimes needed, sometimes not!
Prescription narcotics or opioids may not even be needed after uncomplicated dental treatment or surgery. The June COMPENDIUM article noted that 400 mg Ibuprofen (that’s two OTC tabs of Advil) is superior to 650 mg aspirin, or 1000 mg Tylenol (acetaminophen), or even combinations of aspirin and Tylenol plus 60 mg of codeine or 30 mg of dihydrocodeine. Someone taking more than 400 mg ibuprofen may modestly prolong the duration of pain relief but will likely not result in increased pain relief. Other NSAIDs such as naproxen sodium may achieve comparable pain relief without the narcotic complications.
Our office would like to do what we can to prevent prescription narcotic abuse. We also want to make sure you are comfortable after dental treatment!
It is interesting to look at how pain medications work. I think your mind contributes a lot to this. So, if you think something like a prescription narcotics or opioid will work it has a much better chance of working! My dad, a Family Medicine MD for 40+ years, often told us the story of being in terrible pain one night and going to the bathroom cupboard for a pain pill. (He had some narcotics at home in case this was needed). He accidentally took a tablet of penicillin which was in a similar bottle and his pain went away. Of course, the penicillin had nothing to do with the relief of his pain. His mind, however, had everything to do with his pain relief!
You are welcome to call our office for more information. (970) 242-3635
We are very concerned about your comfort during and after dental treatment!