Associations with a Postoperative Opioid Prescription Following Third Molar Surgery

Wagner, C.; Holmgren, Johanna; Sunstrum, B.; Tu, Harold K.; Nadeau, Robert A.

doi:10.1016/j.joms.2019.06.160

Cited by 1 publication

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“…This study has several limitations. Associations between recent use of prescription opioid and untreated caries/ edentulism are most likely confounded by opioid misuse: 1 in 3 individuals receiving prescription opioids misuse them 46 ; and opioid misuse cases often experience oral comorbidities from prolonged periods of intoxication and/ or opioid-seeking habits that typically occur at the expense of oral hygiene/dental care 47 47 . We encourage future studies exploring cost-savings from averting these additional health conditions/events (including the economic value of averting loss of potential years of life and quality-adjusted life years).…”

Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cost savings from averted prescription opioidattributable dental diseases in the United States between 2013 and 2019

Erim¹,

Obadan‐Udoh²,

Agaku³

2021

Popul. Med.

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INTRODUCTION Between 2013 and 2019, opioid prescriptions in the US declined by about 7% per year. However, little is known about the health and economic impacts of this decline on common dental diseases in adults (i.e. periodontitis, untreated dental caries and edentulism). We sought to assess relationships between prescription opioid use and indicated dental diseases, and to estimate associated epidemiologic and economic impacts of the decline in opioid prescriptions. METHODS We evaluated NHANES data (2009, 2011, 2013 and 2015 cycles) to measure associations between recent prescription opioid use and indicated dental diseases. We then used an empirical modeling approach to estimate: a) the number of patients directly affected by withheld opioid prescriptions, b) associated changes in the number of patients with indicated dental diseases, and c) associated changes in direct and indirect costs of care. RESULTS Estimated one-year risks of untreated caries and edentulism were 1.5% (95% CI: 0.2-2.8, p<0.05) and 2.6% (95% CI: 1.2-4.1, p<0.05) higher in NHANES participants with recent prescription opioid use compared to those without. About 102 million opioid prescriptions were withheld from about 91 million individuals between 2013 and 2019; this may have averted over 1.3 million cases of untreated caries and 2.3 million cases of edentulism, and may have saved up to $1.4 billion in direct and indirect costs. CONCLUSIONS The decline in opioid prescriptions between 2013 and 2019 may have averted over 3.6 million combined cases of untreated caries and edentulism, and may have saved the US economy over $1.4 billion.

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Section: Limitationsmentioning

confidence: 99%