Hydrocodone and oxycodone are both opioid painkillers that come with a high risk of addiction. These prescription-only drugs are used to treat people with intense physical pain - including severe dental pain. Both hydrocodone and oxycodone (OxyContin) can be combined in a single tablet with an over-the-counter, non-opioid pain reliever like acetaminophen (Tylenol). The drugs are commonly referred to by their brand names such as Vicodin and Lortab (hydrocodone and acetaminophen), or Percocet (oxycodone and acetaminophen).
An estimated 11% of adults experience pain every day, but not everyone is a good candidate for these drugs. Since the mid-1990s, many healthcare providers in the United States began broadly prescribing opioids to help manage various sources of physical pain. Unfortunately, this practice contributed to the unintended, devastating, and epidemic-level consequences of abuse and addiction seen today.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lowest effective dose of an opioid should be prescribed in no greater quantity than needed for the expected duration of pain severe enough to require opioids. Three days or less of these drugs will often be sufficient for most cases of severe pain following a dental procedure.
Talk to Your Dentist Before Taking any Painkillers
In the event your dentist recommends for you or your child a prescription opioid medication, it’s imperative that he or she educate you on its appropriate use, risks and alternatives. Choosing to take opioids for dental pain management is a serious decision that you and your dentist should always make together.
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