dental analgesics
Last reviewed 01/2018
According to severity and suitability, prescribe:
- Paracetamol 500mg two tablets 6-hourly or
- Ibuprofen 400mg tablets 8-hourly
If pain is severe, few analgesics are effective for more than three hours and so alternating Paracetamol and Ibuprofen may be used if not contraindicated.
Aspirin-containing drugs may make haemorrhaging after dental extraction more likely.
Topical analgesics have little effect and the patient should be warned that applying aspirin directly on to the gum can cause ulceration.
All patients should be advised they must seek a dentist's advice as these are only emergency measures.