Comparing Ibuprofen and Etodolac on Swelling and Pain After Wisdom Teeth Removal
An interesting article titled “Comparative Assessment of the Effect of Ibuprofen and Etodolac on Edema, Trismus, and Pain in Lower Third Molar Surgery: A Randomized Clinical Trial” appears in the 2016 Journal of Oral an Maxilofacial Surgery written by Julio Cesar Silva de Oliveira and et al. (vol. 74, pp. 1524-1530). The authors set out to explore if ibuprofen or etodolac is more effective in managing pain, swelling, and trismus after wisdom teeth removal. After wisdom teeth removal symptoms such as swelling, pain and limited mouth opening (trismus) can present. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly prescribed for the rapid relief of moderate pain in inflammatory conditions and soft tissue trauma. The mechanism of action of NSAIDs is the inhibition of the release of cyclooxygenase (COX), an enzyme that is responsible for the production of prostaglandins (PGs). Ibuprofen is an NSAID which inhibits COX-1 and COX-2. Etodolac differs from other NSAIDs by being … Read more