Management of dental pain in primary care

Patients sometimes present to a medical practitioner with dental pain if they cannot see a dentist Doctors need to be aware of the common dental diseases that result in pain so they can help to manage the patient’s symptoms until they are able to see a dentist Appropriate advice regarding analgesics for dental pain is important. Paracetamol and ibuprofen are more effective in combination than either of them alone, with or without opioids Antibiotics are only indicated as an adjunct to dental treatment when there are signs of systemic involvement, progressive and rapid spread of infection, or when the patient is immunocompromised