If a patient asks for an anti-inflammatory at the end of their dental visit, should you give them one? Dental pain is acute pain, so we need to use a shorter-acting NSAID. While ibuprofen is good, it may not be the best pain reliever. Further, not everyone can take ibuprofen—i.e., those with allergies, patients who have had Stevens-Johnson syndrome, pregnant women, patients who have fluid retention resulting from cardiovascular disease, those with bleeding disorders, and those who take lithium for issues such as bipolar disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to name a few.
In this episode of Medical History Mysteries, Drs. Tom Viola and Pamela Maragliano-Muniz talk about what to consider before giving NSAIDs to patients, as well as a practice workflow to ensure there are no contraindications.
Editor’s note: This article first appeared in Through the Loupes newsletter, a publication of the Endeavor Business Media Dental Group. Read more articles and subscribe to Through the Loupes.
Pamela Maragliano-Muniz, DMD, is the chief editor of DentistryIQ and editorial codirector of Through the Loupes. Based in Salem, Massachusetts, Dr. Maragliano-Muniz began her clinical career as a dental hygienist. She went on to attend Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, where she earned her doctorate in dental medicine. She then attended the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Dental Medicine, where she became board-certified in prosthodontics. Dr. Maragliano-Muniz owns a private practice, Salem Dental Arts, and lectures on a variety of clinical topics. You may contact her at [email protected].
