If taking pills or other drugs is prescribed buccally, this is how to use a lollipop or other “long-lasting sweetness”. That is, the medicine must be placed between the upper lip and the gum or simply absorbed, leaving it behind the cheek.
Methods of taking drugs
If we consider the enteric (through the digestive tract)
routes of drug administration into the body, 4 methods can be distinguished. The first is oral (normal ingestion). Thus, tablets and powders, capsules and medicines are used. That is, drugs in a liquid, solid or bulk state. Tablets or lozenges can be prescribed buccally (this usually applies to instant preparations, but there are exceptions). The method consists in resorption of a tablet or lozenge in the oral cavity, that is, cheek.
The third method is sublingual (placement under the tongue). It is used in cases of unwanted contact of the drug with tooth enamel, or when there is a risk that the patient, having lost consciousness, may choke on a tablet.
The fourth option is rectal (through the anus). Thus, candles are mainly used in the treatment of young children or in local therapy. Or in case of digestive problems that interfere with the normal absorption of the drug. Which option to apply in a particular case, determines the specialist.
What does buccal mean
Literally, this term translated from Latin means "cheek". Many people who are far from medicine, not understanding the specifics of the terminology and forgetting to ask the doctor for the meaning of this word, begin to invent their own options.
Therefore, specialists are advised to minimize the use of such complex terms when communicating with patients. The patient has no idea what it means to take pills buccally, but he perfectly understands that it needs to be resolved by placing it on the cheek. And already in your documents and patient’s medical record it’s quite possible to write an appointment using the appropriate terminology.
What drugs are prescribed buccally
Of the most common agents, it is glycine (improves brain metabolism). It is used to raise the mood and general well-being in depression, in stressful situations, for various diseases of the nervous system, strokes, as an adjunct therapy in the treatment of drug addiction and in some other cases. It is recommended to use sublingually or buccally. This method is chosen to accelerate the ingress of active substance into the blood.
By resorption, they also use some antiviral, hormonal and topical drugs. For example, if a patient has
acute toothache, he is prescribed analgesics orally or buccally. In the latter case, the effect is achieved much faster. There are many lozenges for dental or otolaryngological use.
In which cases it is better to choose a sublingual method
If the patient is in a state close to unconscious, swallowing is difficult and there is a high risk that the drug can get into the respiratory tract, it is recommended to put the tablet under the tongue. The resorption process in this case will slightly slow down (due to insufficiently excessive salivation), but the risk of inhaling the pill or accidentally swallowing it is minimized.
Sublingually, as a rule, Validol and other sedative drugs are prescribed. Thus, drugs are used whose effect can adversely affect tooth enamel. To minimize contact of the active substance, the tablet is placed under the tongue.
The disadvantages of the method
Despite the fact that buccal medication is considered to be one of the most effective, simple and quick in effect, he also has its own negative aspects. Firstly, it is a taste of the drug. It is well known that most drugs have unpleasant bitterness. If the patient takes them orally without any problems, then when resorbed, he may experience quite bright unpleasant sensations up to the gag reflex. For this reason, not all and not all can be prescribed buccally (this is usually quite individual, someone may suffer a little for the benefit, and others not).
This method is also unacceptable for taking drugs that can adversely affect the mucosa. For example, if a medicine is so aggressive that it can cause inflammation or even mouth ulcers, it is best to swallow it whole.
In general, a decision on the method of taking the drug should be made by a specialist. As a rule, in the annotation all options are prescribed (in case the doctor forgets to mention them). True, not everyone understands, buccally - this is how, or what it means sublingually, but in the instructions for medicines a simple colloquial form is unlikely to be appropriate.