Dental implant patients told to avoid paracetamol

Patients who have received a new prosthesis or dental implants may heal better if they avoid paracetamol, a new study has suggested.

Paracetamol is one of the most commonly used medicines, but new research has shown that it may slow down bone growth.

Experts at the University of Granada's department of nursing conducted tests on osteoblasts - cells that are involved in bone regeneration.

Researcher Olga Garcia Martinez revealed: "Certain anti-inflammatories such as paracetamol should be cautiously taken, especially in situations which require a rapid bone tissue regeneration, such as after placement of a prosthesis or dental implant.

"Other anti-inflammatories which have no effects on bone growth should be used instead."

According to Reva Health Network, a medical search engine, dental implants are proving particularly popular among medical tourists.

A spokesman for the company told the Daily Mail that dental implants cost just £800 in Poland, whereas a typical patient would expect to pay around £2,000 in the UK.