Pain Management for Dental Patients

This brochure follows pain management guidelines from the American Dental Association. It explains that most dental surgery pain can be managed with over-the-counter (OTC) medications instead of opioid prescription medications. It will help you explain to patients that pain and discomfort caused by dental procedures such as tooth replacements, wisdom tooth removal and scaling and root planing do not require prescription strength pain relief, which can be better managed with ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, or acetaminophen or a combination of these OTC drugs. This brochure encourages dentists and patients to have a conversation about how to best manage pain in the 2–3 days after a procedure.