Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider: Ibuprofen + acetaminophen effective for dental pain management

Dear Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider,

The opioid crisis has changed how dental and medical professionals treat pain. With that in mind, we are so glad to have Tom Viola, RPh, as a constant DrBicuspid.com contributor because of his in-depth knowledge of how industry trends are shifting when it comes to pain management.

With that in mind, I strongly encourage you to read his latest article, this edition's Insider Exclusive, in which he discusses how recent studies have consistently demonstrated that a combination analgesic containing acetaminophen and ibuprofen was more effective in treating dental pain than the ingredients were when administered alone. It's a very interesting mind shift at play, and it's one that all dental professionals should know exists before their next patient walks into the practice.

In other the Anesthesia & Pain Management Community news, Viola and I recently discussed a drug that is readily available as an over-the-counter medication and easily accessible that could become the next substance of abuse affecting your dental patients. It's an informative podcast and one that will take less than 15 minutes to listen to.

Speaking of opioids, clinicians frequently prescribe antibiotics and opioids to patients who visit emergency rooms with nontraumatic dental problems, according to a new study published in the March issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Finally, one of our most-read articles in recent weeks reported on a dental assistant in Florida arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a sedated 18-year-old girl who he was prepping for third-molar extractions. This story serves as a good reminder to all practices to ensure that patient safety is always at the top of every to-do list.

Thank you for being an Anesthesia & Pain Management Insider!