Abstract
BackgroundMany patients present to dental clinics for treatment of painful conditions. Prior to seeking treatment, many of these patients will self-medicate with non-prescription analgesics (NPA), and some will unintentionally overdose on these products. The objective of this study is to describe the use of NPA among dental patients.MethodsAll adult patients presenting to an urban dental clinic during a two-week period in January and February of 2001 were approached to participate in this research project. Trained research assistants using a standardized questionnaire interviewed patients. Patient demographics and the NPA usage over the 3 days preceding the office visit were recorded. We defined a supra-therapeutic dose as any dose greater than the total recommended daily dose stated on package labeling.ResultsWe approached 194 patients and 127 participated. The mean age of participants was 35.5 years, 52% were male. Analgesic use preceding the visit was reported by 99 of 127 patients, and most (81/99) used a NPA exclusively. Fifty-four percent of NPA users were taking more than one NPA. NPA users reported using ibuprofen (37%), acetaminophen (27%), acetaminophen/aspirin combination product (8%), naproxen (8%), and aspirin (4%). Sixteen patients reported supra-therapeutic use of one or more NPA (some ingested multiple products): ibuprofen (14), acetaminophen (3), and naproxen (5).ConclusionNPA use was common in patients presenting to a dental clinic. A significant minority of patients reported excessive dosing of NPA. Ibuprofen was the most frequently misused product, followed by naproxen and acetaminophen. Though mostly aware of the potential toxicity of NPA, many patients used supra-therapeutic dosages.
Highlights
Many patients present to dental clinics for treatment of painful conditions
Non-prescription analgesic pain relievers are commonly used by patients with dental pain
These studies all suggest that non-prescription analgesics are an effective therapy for dental pain
Summary
Many patients present to dental clinics for treatment of painful conditions. Pain is a common complaint among patients presenting for emergency care at a dental clinic. Non-prescription analgesic pain relievers are commonly used by patients with dental pain. They decrease pain when administered after dental extractions [1,2,3] and when administered prior to dental surgery [4]. Studied patients presenting to a dental clinic for acute pain and found that both acetaminophen (1 g) and aspirin (1 g) decreased pain relative to placebo.[5] These studies all suggest that non-prescription analgesics are an effective therapy for dental pain
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