Effective toothache pain relievers

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Posted by Pharmacist Nguyen Huy Khiem, Faculty of Pharmacy - Vinmec Times City International General Hospital
Toothache is a common problem faced by many people. Symptoms of toothache can be transient, but can also last for many days, affecting health and daily activities. Here are some of the OTC (over-the-counter) pain relievers that you can use to provide quick temporary relief from toothache discomfort.

1. Paracetamol/Acetaminophen

This is a very popular antipyretic pain reliever that can be used by both adults and children. After taking, the analgesic effect of the drug begins to work after about 15-30 minutes, lasting from 4-6 hours. Paracetamol is generally quite safe, with few side effects, but if used in excess of the recommended dose, the drug can cause serious toxicity on the liver. Therefore, you need to adhere to the dose and the interval between each dose. Usual dose:
Adults: 500 - 1000 mg / time, the next dose can be used after 4-6 hours, the total dose of the day does not exceed 4000 mg. Children: 10 - 15 mg/kg/time, the next dose can be used after 4-6 hours, the total daily dose should not exceed 75 mg/kg.

Popular brand-name drugs containing Paracetamol alone include: Efferalgan, Panadol, Hapacol, Tylenol,...

2. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

The group of NSAIDs has additional anti-inflammatory effects, so this is also an effective option for the uncomfortable state that toothache brings. This group of drugs has many representatives, such as Ibuprofen (brand name: Brufen, Gofen,...), Dilcofenac (brand name: Voltaren,...), Meloxicam (brand name: Mobic,...), Celecoxib (special brand name: Voltaren,...), pharmaceutical: Celebrex,...), Etoricoxib (brand name: Arcoxia,...). The onset of action as well as the length of effect vary from drug to drug, so you need to read the "Product Information" carefully to take the correct dose. If you are pregnant, breast-feeding, or have medical conditions such as peptic ulcer/hemorrhage, disease Cardiovascular disease (history of myocardial infarction, coronary stenting, stroke, ...), kidney failure, you should consult a medical professional before using the above drugs.
To increase the effectiveness of pain relief, you can also combine Paracetamol and 1 NSAID. On the market, there are often a number of pre-prepared preparations in the form of a combination such as Alaxan (Paracetamol + Ibuprofen), which is very convenient to use when needed. However, it should be noted that two drugs in the NSAID class should not be used at the same time because of the increased adverse effects of NSAIDs.
For children, Ibuprofen is the preferred NSAID drug of choice with the usual dose: 5 - 10 mg/kg/time (maximum 400 mg/time), the next dose can be used after 6-8 hours, total daily dose should not exceed 40 mg/kg.

3. Group of local anesthetics

Representatives of this group of drugs include: lidocaine, benzocaine, tetracaine, prilocaine. Medicines are usually made in the form of a solution, gel, or spray. To use, you need to use a clean towel to dry the gum (gum) mucosa around the painful tooth, soak the solution/gel containing the medicine on the tip of the cotton swab, then use the cotton swab to put the medicine into the painful tooth area.
The advantage of local anesthetics is that the analgesic effect appears quickly (within 30 seconds - 2 minutes), but the duration of the effect is quite short, usually 15 - 60 minutes, so it often requires a lot of use. times a day, causing inconvenience to users. On the other hand, the drug can penetrate the body through the mucosa, causing adverse effects due to cumulative dose if used for a long time. Particularly with the active ingredient benzocaine, this drug should not be used for patients with methemoglobinemia or children under 2 years of age.

It should be noted, you should go to dental facilities for the doctor to examine to determine the cause of the toothache and have an effective treatment, to avoid recurrence, especially when you have symptoms of fever, chills, toothache lasts > 2 days...

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