In Ontario, dentists are the third largest group of opioid prescribers after family physicians and surgeons, and therefore are possible contributors to the opioid crisis.1 The opioids commonly dispensed by Ontario dentists are codeine combination products (76.4%), oxycodone combination products (18.4%), and tramadol (2.8%).2 As recommended by the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario … Read more
McMaster University research compares the “effectiveness of different ways to treat acute pain after tooth extraction,” reports The Record. The goal of the study is to decrease the number of opioid prescriptions dentists are writing. The research found that 29 percent of opioid prescriptions from 2011 to 2015 exceeded the recommended morphine equivalent and more … Read more
Introduction These are unprecedented times. The opioid crises strain our communities. The challenge for dental practitioners mirrors the need for new pathways. Being successful with patient treatment is imperative for all practicing dentists. Treatment success is determined by the outcome for the patient. Patients care primarily for levels of morbidity and only then for esthetics, … Read more
On a Friday afternoon, a dentist’s mind raced. Her patient was asking for a fifth refill of Percocet. The dentist was positive that the pain from a third molar extraction had passed and feared the patient had a substance dependence disorder. The patient complained of stabbing shoulder pain in addition to a residual ache in … Read more
Opioids have routinely been prescribed to adults and children for dental procedures for decades, and dentists are among the top prescribers of the drugs after family physicians, responsible for an estimated 1 in 10 opioids in the United States. But prescriptions for the powerful narcotics have fallen in recent years, as the opioid crisis has underscored the … Read more
Rajesh Khanna, PhD, an internationally known expert in pain research, has been named director of the NYU Pain Research Center, effective January 1, 2022. Prior to joining NYU, Dr. Khanna was the associate director of the University of Arizona Health Sciences Comprehensive Pain and Addiction Center, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Arizona … Read more
Targets to eliminate pain after surgery are a major cause of the opioid crisis in several countries, according to a new report co-authored by Professor Lesley Colvin of the University of Dundee. Published in The Lancet, the report brings together global evidence detailing the role of surgery in the opioid crisis. The authors conclude that pain … Read more
Abstract The dental profession represents a significant player in the future trajectory of the current opioid crisis. Exercising sound clinical judgement and adhering to evidence-based principles of pain management are essential. The aim of the present report is to review the current landscape of the opioid crisis and present evidence-based acute pain management strategies in … Read more
Remember a few years back, when a new regulation came into effect that required us to ask our patients for a piece of ID when we wanted to prescribe something as common as Tylenol #3? Personally, I thought, “Oh sure, bring on more rules and restrictions!” Actually, it forced me away from prescribing opioids and … Read more
A new study suggests that roughly half of the opioid prescriptions written by dentists in the United States exceed the three-day supply recommended by federal dental pain-management guidelines. The research also showed that during the five-year study period, a more powerful narcotic than necessary was prescribed almost 3 times of out 10. The findings, published … Read more
Struggling to assess pain based on a zero-to-ten scale is not an uncommon issue when doctors treat patients, especially because the concept of how painful something is can vary from person to person. It’s difficult to put a number on pain at the labor room. It’s difficult at an emergency room. And it’s difficult after … Read more
The Region of Durham is urging the governments of Canada and Ontario to recognize, acknowledge and declare a national health epidemic to help address the provincial and nation-wide opioid overdose crisis with an Opioid Overdose Emergency Resolution. The resolution, which was presented to Durham Regional Council’s Health and Social Services Committee, calls on the provincial … Read more
State and local officials are reportedly in talks with three major drug distributors on a potential $18 billion settlement of litigation that blames them for helping to fuel the U.S. opioid epidemic. The potential settlement, according to The Wall Street Journal, would require McKesson, AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health to collectively pay the $18 billion over 18 years. Drugmaker Johnson & Johnson … Read more
The National Institute of Health is putting its money where its mouth is in the opioid crisis by shelling out nearly $12 million for a long-term study to determine if non-addictive pain medication like acetaminophen and ibuprofen are as effective as opioids following dental procedures. The multi-year study will be headed up by the Rutgers … Read more
Dr. John Vorassi, an oral surgeon with the Eastman Institute of Oral Health, says he and his doctors are now trying to prescribe fewer opioids to patients. Vorassi describes the shift in treating post-oral surgery pain in the last five years as a “180.” “I think there was more of a habit for our specialists, … Read more
Oscar-nominated actor and producer Mark Wahlberg has suffered the loss of friends from the opioid crisis. “I’ve known people who you’d never think would ever be interested in any kind of drug use but had an accident or surgery and suddenly become addicted,” he told the crowd Thursday during the Opening Ceremony and General Session … Read more
The Minnesota Dental Association (MDA) has published a new brochure on pain management and the dangers of opioid use. The patient brochure educates on the dangers of opioid use and offers information on opioid alternatives as well as storing and using opioids safely. Many over the counter medications have been proven effective in treating pain. … Read more