Can Diclofenac help a toothache?
By
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira (PhD)
Author bio
Dr Milena Locci de Oliveira is a Pharmacist and Doctor of Philosophy in Sciences from the University of São Paulo (USP). She has experience in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics. She writes and reviews content on these topics.
Dr Milena’s Highlights:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration in the areas of Pharmacometrics and Population Pharmacokinetics, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
“Science can be translated, and it is essential that everyone has access to quality information to make informed decisions” – Dr Milena Oliveira, PhD.
Professional Experience:
With a decade-long career as a researcher, Dr Milena has amassed extensive experience in conducting research projects in microbiology, analytical toxicology, and clinical pharmacokinetics.
Her expertise also extends to the preparation of technical and scientific reports, literature reviews, data analysis, and scientific communication, both oral and written.
Dr Milena has served as a Clinical Pharmacist, providing expert supervision and guidance to teams during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly in the ICUs of two reference hospitals for patient hospitalization.
In her most recent role, Dr Milena worked on the implementation of the deliberatives of the São Paulo State Government Pharmaceutical Assistance Coordination. These decisions were aimed at ensuring medication access within the Unified Health System.
A widely multidisciplinary background enabled Dr Milena to become a professional capable of integrating scientific knowledge into private initiatives, education, and healthcare, delivering consistent services in patient safety and population health.
Professional Memberships & Affiliations:
Dr Milena Oliveira is a member of the Regional Council of Pharmacy of the State of São Paulo, Brazil.
Education:
-PhD in Sciences, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2019.
-University College London (UCL) – Semester of remote collaboration, 2018.
-Bachelor in Biochemical Pharmacy, University of São Paulo, Brazil, 2013.
Relevant Published Work & Citations:
Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, Nardotto GHB, Pippa LF, Simões BP, Lanchote VL. Analysis of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in plasma and urine with application in the evaluation of total, renal and metabolic formation clearances in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. Nov 2020. 191:113-124.
Abstracts. CPT: Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology. 2020 Nov; 9 (S1).
Pippa LF, Oliveira ML de, Rocha A, de Andrade JM, Lanchote VL. Total, renal and hepatic clearances of doxorubicin and formation clearance of doxorubicinol in patients with breast cancer: Estimation of doxorubicin hepatic extraction ratio. Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Analysis. 2020 Jun 5; 185:113-231.
Godoy ALPC, De Jesus C, De Oliveira ML, Rocha A, Pereira MPM, Larangeira DF, Lanchote VL, Barrouin-Melo SM. Determination of Allopurinol and Oxypurinol in Dogs Plasma by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with an Ultraviolet Detector: Application for Pharmacokinetic Studies. J Chromatogr Sep Tech. 2017; 8 (4).
Clímaco EC, Oliveira ML de, Pitondo-Silva A, Oliveira MG, Medeiros M, Lincopan N, et al. Clonal complexes 104, 109 and 113 playing a major role in the dissemination of OXA-carbapenemase-producing Acinetobacter baumannii in Southeast Brazil. Infection, Genetics and Evolution. 2013 Oct;19:127–33.
Conference Papers:
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B.; PIPPA, L. F.; ROCHA, A.; SIMOES, B. P.; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Daunorubicin metabolism and urinary excretion in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 84th Annual Meeting of the German Society for Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (DGPT) and the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of the Clinical Pharmacology Germany (VKliPha), 2018, Göttingen. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch Pharmacol, 2018. v. 391. p. S76-S76.
Oliveira, M. L.; NARDOTTO, G. H. B. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . The low contribution of urinary excretion in the elimination of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in patients with acute myeloid leukemia. In: 49th Brazilian Congress of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics., 2017, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2017. p. 64-64.
Oliveira, M. L.; PIPPA, L. F. ; ROCHA, A. ; SIMOES, B. P. ; LANCHOTE, V. L. . Quantification of daunorubicin and its metabolite daunorubicinol in human plasma by LC-MS/MS. In: I International Meeting of Environmental Health and Toxicology (IMEHTOX), 2016, Ribeirão Preto. Livro de Resumos, 2016.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. . PFGE typing of Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii isolated from different University Hospitals. In: V International Postgraduate and Research Symposium, 2012.
Clímaco, E.C. ; SILVA, A. P. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Lincopan, N. ; Darini A.L.C. Relação clonal entre linhagens de Acinetobacter baumannii produtoras de carbapenemases da família OXA em quatro hospitais no Brasil. In: XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012, Santos. XXI Latin American Congress of Microbiology, 2012.
Oliveira, M. L.; Clímaco, E.C. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Dissemintion of OXA carbapenemases genes in carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii in University Hospital of Juiz de Fora, MG. In: 8th CIFARP – International Congress of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2011, Ribeirão Preto.
Clímaco, E.C. ; Oliveira, M. L. ; OLIVEIRA, M. G. ; Darini A.L.C. . Avaliação do sequenciamento parcial do gene rpoB e de seus flanqueadores para identificação de espécies de Acinetobacter na rotina laroratorial. In: 2° International Symposium on Clinical Microbiology, 2010, Florianópolis.
You can view some of Dr Milena’s work below and links to her professional profile.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dra-milena-locci-de-oliveira-28986042/?locale=en_US
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Milena-Oliveira-6
Escavador: https://www.escavador.com/sobre/5394254/milena-locci-de-oliveira
Lattes: https://buscatextual.cnpq.br/buscatextual/busca.do
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57199779361
Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=list_works&hl=pt-BR&user=1YUBDIQAAAAJ
Can Diclofenac help a toothache?
Diclofenac can help a toothache. This NSAID can be used for a toothache, but usually, it isn’t. There are faster pain relief options available over-the-counter to help numb the pain in a short period of time, as compared to taking oral painkillers.
Diclofenac may not be suitable for people with gastrointestinal disturbances, as this NSAID is associated with a number of GI side effects. However, if you only have Diclofenac, you can take it for a toothache. It will surely take some of the pain away if not all of it.
What does research suggest?
Some research studies have indicated that Diclofenac can be effective in reducing dental pain to some extent, especially when used in combination with other painkillers, like Acetaminophen.
However, the effectiveness of diclofenac may vary from person to person and it may not be able to control a toothache in some people. The efficacy of this NSAID also depends on the severity of the toothache and the individual’s response to the medication (1).
However, it is considered best to consult your dentist if you have a toothache to determine the root cause of the pain and the best treatment strategy to get rid of it.
Alternatives to Diclofenac for toothache
As I stated in the previous sections, Diclofenac may not work that well for a toothache, as compared to other NSAIDs like Ibuprofen and Naproxen (2). In this case, it’s best to switch to either one of the more effective NSAIDs.
Acetaminophen is also used, sometimes in combination with an NSAID for better pain relief. However, dental gels containing Benzocaine or Lidocaine to numb the affected tooth are the fastest to relieve pain.
This is why it’s advised to put the anaesthetic gel on your gum in case of severe pain, as oral painkillers take time to get absorbed in your blood.
However, all of these meds will just numb the pain for a short period of time, and you’ll eventually start feeling that way again. They are not promising treatment options to make the root cause of your pain go away.
If your toothache is caused by an underlying tooth infection, you will need to take a suitable antibiotic for it (3). This is why it’s always best to consult your dentist to eliminate the root cause of your toothache.
References
- Boghdady W, Lotfy M, William E. Diclofenac potassium in the management of dental pain: a multicenter double-blind comparison with glafenine. Egypt Dent J. 1993 Jul;39(3):461-6. PMID: 9590971. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9590971/
- Koh SWC, Li CF, Loh JSP, Wong ML, Loh VWK. Managing tooth pain in general practice. Singapore Med J. 2019 May;60(5):224-228. doi: 10.11622/smedj.2019044. PMID: 31187144; PMCID: PMC6535452. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6535452/
- Ahmadi H, Ebrahimi A, Ahmadi F. Antibiotic Therapy in Dentistry. Int J Dent. 2021 Jan 28;2021:6667624. doi: 10.1155/2021/6667624. PMID: 33574843; PMCID: PMC7861949. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7861949/
