{"id":628854,"date":"2024-07-08T08:55:55","date_gmt":"2024-07-08T12:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=628854"},"modified":"2025-10-08T11:40:05","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T15:40:05","slug":"gabapentin-for-tooth-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/gabapentin-for-tooth-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"Can you take gabapentin for tooth pain?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Gabapentin<\/span> is a generic prescription <\/span>anticonvulsant<\/span><\/a> approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (<\/span>FDA<\/span>) to treat <\/span>epilepsy<\/span> and <\/span>postherpetic neuralgia<\/span>, pain caused by shingles-related nerve damage. It’s also sold under the brand names <\/span>Neurontin<\/span> and Gralise. Because of its effectiveness in relieving <\/span>nerve pain<\/span>, some <\/span>dentistry<\/span> clinicians<\/span> prescribe <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> for <\/span>tooth pain<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>What is gabapentin?<\/b><\/a> | <\/b>Gabapentin coupons<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

Is <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> good for <\/span>tooth pain<\/span>?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Though gabapantin’s mechanism of action is still not fully understood, according to Nguyen, the beneficial effect is clear: It decreases the intensity of <\/span>nerve pain<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>2010 review<\/span><\/a> of <\/span>clinical trials<\/span> found that a single dose of <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> was more effective than placebo pills at reducing <\/span>surgical <\/span>pain, including dental procedures. However, it was not more effective than standard pain relievers.<\/span><\/p>\n

A <\/span>2022 study<\/span><\/a> of 90 patients getting root canals found that <\/span>pregabalin<\/span><\/a>, a different prescription drug, was more effective at relieving pain than <\/span>gabapentin<\/span>. At 72 hours after the procedure, patients who received <\/span>pregabalin<\/span> reported 92.1% <\/span>pain relief<\/span>, while patients who received <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> reported 87.6% <\/span>pain relief<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In many cases, <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> is prescribed together with over-the-counter (OTC) drugs such as <\/span>acetaminophen<\/span> or <\/span>ibuprofen<\/span><\/a>. Some <\/span>experts<\/span><\/a> suggest that gabapentin combined with OTC pain relievers may be as effective and safer than the use of opioid medications for relieving <\/span>dental pain<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

How does <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> work to provide <\/span>toothache<\/span> relief?<\/span><\/h2>\n

“It’s still unclear how <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> works. For <\/span>postherpetic neuralgia<\/span>, pain associated with shingles, <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> seems to decrease the release of certain pain signals in the brain,” says Dr. Nguyen. In other words, <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> may reduce the sensation of <\/span>dental pain<\/span> \u2014 the ache of your nerve-related <\/span>toothache<\/span> \u2014 but it’s not fixing the root cause.<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>Gabapentin<\/span> doesn’t heal the nerves. It mainly helps to mask the pain,” confirms Aaron Bulleigh, <\/span>DDS<\/span>, a doctor of dental surgery at <\/span>Desert Springs Dental Care<\/span><\/a>. “It makes the pain more manageable, like turning down the volume on a loudspeaker, but it doesn’t fix the underlying problem with the nerves.”<\/span><\/p>\n

How long does gabapentin take to work for <\/span>tooth pain<\/span>?<\/span><\/h2>\n

There is no established time frame for how long it would take for gabapentin to begin to relieve a <\/span>toothache<\/span>. Dr. Nguyen says a person’s age, other medications, and medical conditions can all affect how long it takes for <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> to kick in.<\/span><\/p>\n

That said, a <\/span>2012 study<\/span><\/a> on <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> for shingles-related <\/span>nerve pain<\/span> found that patients have the highest blood concentration of <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> two to three hours after taking it by mouth.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ultimately, it may take a few hours for <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> to have an <\/span>analgesic effect<\/span>. Even then, this drug will only relieve pain caused by nerve damage. Anyone interested in taking <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> for a <\/span>toothache<\/span> should consult a healthcare provider or dentist about the best pain reliever based on the cause of their <\/span>dental pain<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: How much is gabapentin without insurance?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Potential <\/span>side effects<\/span> of <\/span>gabapentin<\/span><\/h2>\n

Gabapentin<\/span> is considered generally safe, but it’s still important to be aware of the <\/span>side effects<\/span><\/a> of this drug.<\/span><\/p>\n

The most common <\/span>side effects<\/span> reported in <\/span>clinical trials<\/span> were dizziness, <\/span>drowsiness<\/span>, and swelling.<\/span><\/p>\n

Gabapentin<\/span> can also cause serious <\/span>side effects<\/span>, including:<\/span><\/p>\n

“<\/span>Gabapentin<\/span> is not <\/span>FDA<\/span>-approved for the treatment of <\/span>tooth pain<\/span>. But, <\/span>gabapentin<\/span> may be used<\/span> off-label<\/span><\/a> for other conditions, such as <\/span>nerve pain<\/span>,” says <\/span>Joanne Nguyen, <\/span><\/a>Pharm.D., BCACP, NCTTP, a Georgia-based clinical pharmacy practitioner.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n