Advice on methadone and oral health: Dental public health in action

摘要

Public health competencies illustrated 1. Oral health promotion specifically targeted for marginalised groups to provide patients prescribed methadone with effective, evidence based advice on maintaining their oral and general health; 2. Written communication; 3. Multidisciplinary working; 4. Oral health inequalities. Introduction In Scotland during 2010-2011, there were 533,733 prescriptions dispensed for methadone (S4W-988, written question, Scottish Parliament, 14th July 2012). Figure 1 shows a steady increase in methadone prescriptions over the last 8 years. Please note that despite prevailing national media stereotyping, considerably less than 10.2% (533,733/5,254,800) of the Scottish population is actually prescribed methadone (General Register Office for Scotland, 2012). Individuals may have more than one prescription and therefore the number of dispensed items each year, is not the number of individuals on methadone treatment. Indeed the increased number of dispensed items may reflect better care of patients with opioid dependence who have entered an evidence based package of care, treatment and recovery. The increase may also be due to improved pharmacy supervision in line with good practice and the drug misuse and dependence UK guidelines on clinical management.