Naproxen vs. opioid combo after dental surgery: Results surprise researchers

New research on the efficacy of nonprescription naproxen sodium (NapS) for relieving pain after dental procedures affirms a growing body of evidence that NapS and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) mitigate the use of opioid combinations as a first approach for relieving minor pain after dental procedures.

In December, a single dose study by Bayer Consumer Health Division found that in treating moderate-to-severe postsurgical dental pain, a single dose of nonprescription naproxen sodium 440 mg (NapS) was at least as effective through hour four post-surgery and better tolerated than a single dose of an opioid combination of hydrocodone plus acetaminophen.

New research by JBR Clinical Research in Salt Lake City conducted on patients experiencing moderate to severe pain after wisdom tooth extraction also compared the efficacy of a single, nonprescription dose of naproxen with that of hydrocodone plus acetaminophen, the results of which affirmed “a large body of evidence…that shows nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like naproxen, are highly effective for acute postoperative pain, such as post-dental surgery pain.”

What surprised the researchers in the JBR study, published in Pain Medicine News, was that “the naproxen group outperformed the group that received opioids on all primary and secondary end points,” with patients who took naproxen reporting less intense pain and longer-lasting relief than the group on opioids.

Note: The full article on the JBR Clinical Research study in Pain Medicine News is available but requires a login. Access it:

Naproxen more effective than hydrocodone-acetaminophen after dental surgery