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How Dentists Can Help Fix America’s Opioid Epidemic

How Dentists Can Help Fix America’s Opioid Epidemic
by Carolina Pickens

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), opioid-related drug overdoses have tripled from 1999 to 2014. Additionally, opioids were present in 60.9 percent of overdose deaths in 2014.

It is increasingly apparent the United States has an opioid abuse epidemic on its hands, and dentists may be surprised to find themselves in the middle of this rapidly-growing problem.

Opioids are powerful painkillers that range from legal prescriptions including Oxycodone and Vicodin to illegal narcotics like heroin. Unfortunately, many patients are unaware of the proper ways to discard the legal medications when they are no longer needed, which makes the drugs available for recreational use. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict guidelines and regulations for disposing of medication to help patients safely remove them from their house.

Professionals providing these drugs must ensure every patient knows the right way to discard them. But, doctors may ask, is this truly necessary? After all, how often do patients have leftover opioids if they are in pain?

A study by Harvard researchers published in 2016 concluded practically every dental professional overprescribes opioid painkillers. The same study also found dentists tend to write opioid prescriptions at a higher dosage than necessary.

Dentists certainly aren't alone — medical professionals including stressed emergency room doctors and doctors who misdiagnose patients are also responsible for the overprescription of these potent medicines.

Read full article on MultiBriefs.