Practical advice to minimise harms when prescribing short-term NSAIDs for acute dental pain

To minimise harms in all patients prescribed short-term NSAIDs for acute dental pain, advise the patient to:

• take the NSAID regularly (rather than as required) using the lowest effective dose
• use the NSAID for the shortest duration possible, and not more than 5 days—the risk of adverse effects may increase after 5 days of use
• combine the NSAID with paracetamol and, as soon as possible, stop the NSAID then use paracetamol alone
• seek review if the NSAID is still required after 5 days to avoid inadvertent long-term use.

It is no longer advised that NSAIDs be taken with food to reduce adverse effects, because there is no evidence to support this approach. Additionally, taking NSAIDs with food delays the peak concentration, reduces the rate of absorption, and can result in less effective relief of acute pain.