Abstract | Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder that, whilst initially driven by activation of brain reward neurocircuits, increasingly engages anti-reward neurocircuits that drive adverse emotional states and relapse. However, successful recovery is possible with appropriate treatment, although with a persisting propensity to relapse. The individual and public health burdens of OUD are immense; 26.8 million people were estimated to be living with OUD globally in 2016, with >100,000 opioid overdose deaths annually, including >47,000 in the USA in 2017. Well-conducted...

Opioid prescriptions increased by 68% from 2010 to 2016 for new dental procedures among people not previously prescribed opioids. This study sheds light on the potential of unnecessary prescribing of opioids for dental procedures especially for people never prescribed opioids prior to their procedure. Those who were prescribed opioids after a dental extraction reported worse pain including more moderate and severe pain than those not prescribed opioids, while both groups reported similar satisfaction levels. Out of 195 extractions, 1145 excess prescription pills prescribed. These findings...