Prescribing medicines is an essential part of comprehensive dental care. Behind this seemingly simple act lies a range of skills. These include understanding the physiological interaction of the medicines in the body as well as their potential for harm either to body systems or when conflicting with other medicines taken by the patient. The decision to prescribe is thus complex even before the efficacy of the drug for the dental condition is considered. This paper reviews some of the issues that the primary care practitioner must consider when prescribing, as well as practical concerns to make prescribing safe and effective.
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