Most common and prescribed medications are readily available from non-compliant pharmacies and traders. Incidentally, some doctors unnecessarily prescribe drugs for patients. People indiscriminately consume antibiotics to treat themselves, unaware of the inherent dangers. These acts can easily lead to patients developing tendencies or potential for misuse.

When we hear the term “drug abuse,” we typically think of the excessive use of alcohol, cocaine, or marijuana. However, the problem significantly includes the misuse of antibiotics, analgesics, sedatives, and even vitamin supplements. The difference between abuse and addiction is that it is far easier to overcome drug abuse than addiction.

The availability of common medications from recalcitrant drugstore owners and traders exacerbates the problem. Unnecessary prescriptions by some doctors add to the issue. When people indiscriminately consume antibiotics without understanding their risks, the tendency for misuse increases.

Perhaps even more dangerous is the fact that both the patient and the target pathogen can become immune to the effects of many drugs. This phenomenon often requires a change in medication or higher doses to achieve the desired result.

Acute infections caused by decayed teeth—characterised by facial swelling, pain, fever, and difficulty opening the mouth—should be treated with penicillin G injections twice daily during the initial days of onset. Oral antibiotics (capsules and tablets) are inadequate for acute dental abscesses or facial cellulitis because they generally do not kill bacteria but merely prevent their multiplication.

Additionally, the strength of capsules and tablets diminishes after being metabolised by the liver. Recommended practice includes localising the abscess with heat packs and draining it alongside penicillin injections. Antibiotics in the bloodstream alone cannot penetrate the core of the abscess to kill bacteria. If the abscess is not drained, the affected area may harden due to fibrosis, or worse, the infection could spread, leading to septicaemia.

For chronic infections such as gum boils or fistulas (small openings that constantly ooze pus), treatment should focus on removing the cause, which is invariably a diseased tooth, rather than relying on antibiotic therapy.
Analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs often substitute for each other. They work by inhibiting the production of prostaglandins, which cause pain. Ibuprofen, in doses of 400 mg every eight hours, is among the best for severe pain. Aspirin remains one of the most widely used and dependable analgesics for mild to moderate pain. However, its commonplace status often leads patients to underestimate its effectiveness.

Codeine, like morphine, modifies the patient’s perception of pain and induces sedation, offering an unrealistic freedom from fear of dental procedures. While this may seem ideal for patients in severe pain, codeine is ten times more dangerous than marijuana and should be avoided if possible. Since all drugs have harmful effects, professional guidance should always be sought before their use.