After undergoing dental implant surgery, patients are required to take pain medications like Ibuprofen and Tylenol in order to ease and manage the pain. Dentist usually prescribe Ibuprofen containing 400 to 600 mg every 6 to 8 house. If Ibuprofen is not an option, take 1 to 2 tablets of regular Tylenol® every four hours is an option. If regular pain medications don’t take effect, stronger pain medications such as Norco, Lortabl, Tylenol with codeine, Percocet, and Vicodin. These are prescription drugs given to patients after a surgery or an injury to relieve pain.
However, misuse of these addictive substances can make them dependent on the drug which leads to addiction, death, or overdose. A recent study revealed that patients who chose opioid prescription as their pain medication have had increased risk of overdosing. Moreover, overdose risk is not limited to the patient, but also to their family members as well.
Those who take opioid pain relievers therefore should carefully read the prescription bottle, follow the dosage instructions and temporarily steer clear from driving or working around machinery while under opioid medication. Moreover, alcohol should also be avoided when taking stronger medications.
Australia’s Revised Rules on Opioid Prescription
Utilizing opioids as medication is quite common in Australia, which denotes that providers of dental care and services like aria dental implant, may give in to such requests. Some of the most common types prescribed by Australian doctors include codeine, oxycodone, methadone, tramadol, morphine, and fentanyl.
However, in June 2020, the federal government implemented a few changes in regulations regarding opioid supply and prescription. The changes became necessary when it became apparent that in recent years, cases of opioid misuse led to a spike in hospitalizations and deaths caused by prescription opioid abuse.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), AU’s drug regulator, explained that opioid medication should only be utilized as a short-term solution for severe pain such as post-surgery, including dental implants; or when other pain medicines aren’t effective.
Yet when a dentist prescribes an opioid pain medication to manage the pain, talk to your dentist about medical history, other medications you have taken or still taking, and of other family members struggling with substance abuse.
Inquire on how to take the medication, how long it should be taken and of the risks involved even while following the prescription instructions.
Once the pain relief medication is no longer needed, dispose expired or unused medication properly.