A recent study by the Rutgers School of Dental Medicine clearly shows patients are better off not being prescribed an opioid after dental procedures. The study not only demonstrates that pain management is better for patients without opioids, it also showed they sleep better and are better able to engage in regular daily activities while recovering from surgery.

For over 10 years PDFNJ has been leading the effort in New Jersey and throughout the country by educating parents and encouraging them to opt for non-opiate alternatives for pain management when their children are having their wisdom teeth removed. In cooperation with Horizon Blue Cross/Blue Shield we are visiting schools throughout the state to educate athletes about opioid misuse and abuse. We are providing the public with TV and outdoor public service announcements focusing on this very issue. Additionally, as part of our Knock Out Opioid Abuse campaign, we are also currently providing continuing education credits to dentists and other prescribers focusing on safe prescribing and encouraging them to opt for opioid alternatives for pain management, especially their younger patients.

We know the number of opioid prescriptions has declined over the past several years, but this study notes that approximately 9 million prescriptions were provided by dentists throughout the United States in 2022. That number is far too many, and this study proves we should continue working to decrease it further.

“We think this is a landmark study,” said Cecile Feldman, dean of Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and lead author of the study. “The results actually came in even stronger than we thought they would.”

The American Dental Association has also issued new guidelines calling for the avoidance of opioids for pain management. So, I encourage you to forward this email and do what you can to get this important information to dentists and other prescribers in your community. For more than a decade the Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey has been advocating for alternatives to opioids when it comes to pain management. This is especially important when it comes to our youth.

“There are studies out there to show that when young people get introduced to opioids, there's an increased likelihood that they're going to eventually use them again, and then it can lead to addiction,” said study co-investigator Janine Fredericks-Younger.

Please register for our next webinar, “The National Opioid Crisis: Current Trends and Solutions,” scheduled for 11 a.m. Thursday, January 30.