Association of opioid prescriptions from dental clinicians for US adolescents and young adults with subsequent opioid use and abuse.

This retrospective cohort study found that opioid-naive adolescents who received an opioid prescription from a dentist were more likely to receive a subsequent opioid prescription or be diagnosed with an opioid use disorder compared to opioid-naive adolescents who did not receive an opioid prescription from a dentist. This finding is consistent with prior studies in adults, demonstrating increased risk of subsequent opioid use following short-term prescriptions. The authors urge caution in prescribing opioids to adolescents.