A Closer Look at 4 Oral Pain Meds for Students in a Dental Assistant Program

become a dental assistant

The process of controlling oral pain during dental operations is an important part of dentistry. In fact, throughout the history of dentistry, various methods have been used to help manage pain and discomfort for patients. The history of pain management in dentistry is a long one, with wine being used in India as far back as 1000 BC, nitrous oxide (or laughing gas) being used in 1779, and Novocaine in 1904. Of course, todaya��s dental offices have much more sophisticated methods at their disposal.

Read on to discover some of the newest oral medications available for pain management.

1. Students in a Dental Assistant Program Might Know About Anti-Inflammatory Drugs

Anti-inflammatory drugs, or corticosteroids, are a method for pain management that work by relieving the discomfort and redness of the mouth and gums. Corticosteroids are available by prescription and some of the most popular brands are Oralone, Kenalog in Orabase, Lidex, and Temovate. It is not uncommon for a dentist to recommend a non-prescription anti-inflammatory drug, like Motrin, which relieves mild pain as well as swelling, toothaches, and fevers.

2. Dental Assistants Might Learn About Anesthetics Throughout their Studies

Anesthetics produce a momentary loss of sensation. They can effectively relieve pain and irritation caused by procedures, toothaches, or sores in the mouth. Most of the time, though, these drugs are used to facilitate surgery.

Graduates of a might know that the most popular dental anesthetic used today is lidocaine, which has replaced novocaine in dentistry. Aspiring dental assistants develop a keen understanding of anesthesia as they complete courses in pharmacology, anesthesia, and pain control.

3. Graduates of a Dental Assistant Course Know OxyContin is an Effective Pain Medication

OxyContin is a baseline drug that is usually used to treat pain that occurs after an operation. It has a time-release mechanism which delivers pain-relief over a long period of time. It is a potent drug, but many researchers maintain that it is more effective to be able to prescribe OxyContin twice a day rather than another painkiller every few hours.

Due to the fact that OxyContin is highly addictive and is therefore classified by the Canadian Government as a schedule I drug, only dentists can prescribe and/or administer it. However, graduates of a are allowed to administer non-prescription drugs under certain circumstances once they begin their careers.

4. Students in a Dental Assistant Program Might Know About Percocet

Percocet contains both oxycodone and acetaminophen, two drugs that assist in relieving moderate to severe pain after operations. Percocet only takes about 15 minutes to activate and depending on the patient and dosage can last anywhere from four to six hours. Percocet is one of the most widely prescribed pain medications. Often, the decision of whether or not to prescribe Percocet versus another type of pain killer usually comes down to whether or not a patient reacts better to acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

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