High opioid prescription rates for dental disorders

A new study looking at opioid prescription patterns among young adults and teens in the U.S. finds that most prescriptions came out of emergency department visits, and the most common reason was dental disorders. Some 15% of nearly 192 million ED visits between 2005 and 2015 resulted in an opioid prescription, and of these, nearly 60% were due to dental problems. 

In a separate study, researchers found that in 2016, U.S. dentists prescribed opioids at a proportion that is 37 times greater than U.K. dentists. U.S. dentists also prescribed a range of opioids, including long-acting pills, while U.K. dentists stuck to one type of opioid that was not long-acting.