Addressing the Opioid Crisis

By Heather B. Allen, RDH, BSDH, MSHCM, Tricia S. Barker, RDH, BSDH, MEd, Tina Patel Gunaldo, PhD, DPT, MHS

Opioids are a class of drugs that includes legal prescriptions, such as codeine, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and pharmaceutical fentanyl, as well as illegal drugs such as heroin and illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF). Opioids can be classified as natural, semi-synthetic, or synthetic. They reduce pain by binding to opioid receptors throughout the body.^1–3 Prescription opioids are commonly prescribed to manage both chronic and acute pain.⁴ Opioids have often been prescribed by dentists for the management of acute dental pain and can be used to effectively manage pain when prescribed and taken appropriately.^4–7

* References can be found in the original article via the link below.
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