Many teens will have to get their wisdom teeth removed at some point, but the surgery may come with more complications than you realize.
The Partnership For A Drug-Free New Jersey released two PSAs warning parents of the dangers of opioid use because of painkillers prescribed to kids after surgery. Titled “Don’t Let Toothache Lead to Heartache,” a 30-second video shares that when a child is prescribed opioids, they are 16 times more likely to develop an opioid abuse problem.
The message is straightforward: “Be wise about wisdom teeth” because thousands of families lose young ones to opioid abuse each year. According to a rotating ticker on the website, more than 436,600 Americans – and counting – have lost their lives to the opioid epidemic.
Opioid addiction can develop in just 3-5 days according to a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There are safer, over-the-counter options available for your kids, such as ibuprofen, that won’t cause addiction.
To spread awareness of the growing opioid problem, middle schoolers in grades 5-8 can take part in a PSA video contest, creating a peer-to-peer video of 30 seconds about the dangers of substance misuse. The deadline is March 15, and a $1,000 prize will be awarded for the winning PSA.
Older teens can record a song, instrumental performance, a video or submit typed lyrics to the Your Song! Your Voice! Shout Down Drugs New Jersey contest. The entry deadline is March 24.
There are a variety of webinars parents can join to learn more about the crisis and how to prevent it. So many parents happen to be dentists, too, so PDFNJ and The Horizon Foundation for New Jersey launched a one-hour continuing medical education webinar, “Do No Harm: Exploring Strategies for Safer Prescribing of Opioids,” that provides guidance for medical professionals.
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