British dental journal
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British dental journal · Aug 2002
Case ReportsUnintentional overdose of analgesia secondary to acute dental pain.
Three cases of unintentional overdose with simple analgesics are presented. Over a two month period, these patients presented to the accident and emergency (A&E) department with acute dental pain, outside normal working hours, having been unable to access emergency dental care. In one case the patient's reason for attendance was to obtain further supplies of analgesics. ⋯ None of the patients required treatment for the overdose. These cases serve as a timely reminder of the importance of taking an accurate drug history in emergency situations. They also raise issues of patient education for self medication and access to emergency dental services outside normal working hours.