Getting prescription only medication from your dentist in Liskeard
Many people are under the impression that all their medication must be prescribed by a general practitioner, including any medication to treat their gums and teeth. What most people are unaware of, is that your dentist in Liskeard can prescribe a wide range of prescription only medications that are designed or able to treat the majority if not all of your dental issues, saving you a number of unnecessary visits to the doctor’s practice.
What are prescription only medications?
While a lot of medications can be purchased over-the-counter for minor ailments, there are a lot of medications that you cannot obtain without a valid and legal prescription. Prescription-only medications (commonly referred to as POMs) are drugs that can only be prescribed by a registered healthcare professional; this can include general practitioners, hospital doctors, your dentist in Liskeard, nurses, optometrists and sometimes even pharmacists.
What drugs can your dentist prescribe?
Fortunately, your dentist in Liskeard can prescribe an array of drugs to combat the numerous dental issues that you are able to experience. These drugs can perform many functions such as easing pain, fighting infection, numbing areas of the mouth, and treating disease. The most common class of medications prescribed here at The Smile Centre are antibiotics which are responsible for fighting various infections linked to dentistry.
What are antibiotics?
Antibiotics are the most commonly prescribed drug in dental practices, and they are used to treat or prevent infections caused by bacteria. While most minor infections are able to get better without the need of antibiotics, there are some infections which become progressively worse and require assistance from antibiotics to treat the infection and prevent it from recurring. An example of an antibiotic that is commonly prescribed by dentists is tetracycline which is used in combination with surgery to eradicate bacteria that is associated with periodontal disease and prevent your tooth from detaching from the jawbone which is common in severe gum disease. In dentistry, antibiotics can be used in different forms including pills, gels and mouth rinses. Additionally, a well-known antibiotic referred to as amoxicillin is regularly prescribed prior to or after a dental procedure which may increase your risk of infection.
Commonly prescribed anaesthetics
In dentistry, it is common for you to require some numbing before a number of procedures. In order for this to occur, it is necessary that you are prescribed some form of anaesthetic which will numb the treatment area and prevent you experiencing any form of pain or discomfort during a procedure. Furthermore, sometimes your dentist may prescribe you anaesthetics to numb the pain you experience as a side effect of mouth blisters or ulcers. People who wear braces may also be prescribed an anaesthetic to relieve the pain caused by the metal wires rubbing against your gums. It is important to note that the anaesthetics prescribed by your dentist are local anaesthetics which will only numb the desired location.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatories
Non-steroidal-anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are designed to target signs of inflammation that regularly occur in the mouth when there is an infection. Corticosteroids are a different class of anti-inflammatories that are prescribed after dental surgery to help manage swelling and pain. These drugs can be prescribed in a gel form to make it easier to apply rather than having to swallow a tablet which may be difficult straight after a dental procedure or surgery.