A combination of acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) controls pain after removing wisdom teeth better than opioids, according to a health rutgers study This could change the way dentists treat post-surgical pain.
The test in more than 1,800 patients found that those who gave a combination of ibuprofen and acetaminophen exhibited less pain, better sleep and higher satisfaction than those who received the hydrocodone opioids with acetaminophen.
“We believe this is a milestone study,” he said Cecile FeldmanDean of Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and lead author of the study funded by the National Institute of Dental and Design Research of the National Institute of Health. “The results came really louder than we thought they would be.”
The dentists, who are classified as the nation’s opioid prescriptions, wrote more than 8.9 million opioid recipes in 2022. For many young adults, dental processes such as the export of wisdom teeth are their first exposure to opioid drugs.
“There are studies out there to show that when young people are imported into opioids, there is an increased chance that they will eventually use them again and then can lead to addiction,” the study’s co-investator said Janine Fredericks-YoungeerAdding that over -doses of opioid kill more than 80,000 Americans each year.
To compare relief from opioid and non -opioids, researchers conducted a randomized test in patients who underwent surgical removal of the impacts of wisdom teeth, a common process that usually causes moderate to severe pain.
Half of patients received hydrocodone with acetaminophen. The other half took a combination of acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Patients evaluated pain levels and other effects, such as sleep quality, week after surgery.
It results in The Journal of American Dental Association It showed that the combination of non-opioids provided superior pain relief during the peak-firing period in two days after surgery. Patients who received non -opioid drugs also reported better sleep quality on the first night and less intervention in daily activities throughout the recovery.
Patients receiving the Combo Over-the-Counter were only half half likely with opioid patients demanding additional “rescue” medication. They also reported higher overall satisfaction with the treatment of their pain.
“We feel quite confident by saying that opioids should not be systematically prescribed and that if dentists prescribe the non -opioid combination, their patients will be much better,” Feldman said.
The size and design of the study make it particularly remarkable. With more than 1,800 participants in five clinical sites, it is one of the largest studies of this kind. It aims to reflect the use of real world drugs and not in the strictly controlled conditions of many smaller pain studies.
“We examined efficiency – how it works in real life, taking into account what people really care,” Feldman said, referring to the focus of studying on sleep quality and the ability to return to work.
The findings are aligned with the recent recommendations of the American Dental Union to avoid opioids as a first -line pain treatment. Feldman said she hopes she would change prescription practices.
“For a while, we talked that no opioids need to be prescribed,” Feldman said. “The results of this study are such that there is no reason to prescribe opioids unless you have these specific conditions, such as medical conditions that prevent the use of ibuprofen or acetaminophen.”
Members of the research team said they hoped to extend their work to other dental procedures and pain scenarios. Other school researchers test cannabinoids to manage dental pain.
“These studies not only guide us on how to improve current dental care,” Feldman said, “but also how we can better train future dentists here at Rutgers, where we constantly improve our curriculum.”
