Clinical decision-support only. For use by licensed dental professionals. Not a substitute for professional judgment or a complete drug reference. Always verify with primary sources.
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Medication

Ketorolac

NSAID (potent, short-term)

Brand names: Toradol

Oral health effects

  • Increased bleeding (platelet inhibition)

    Potent NSAID with meaningful bleeding and GI risk; limited to short-term use.

    Mechanism: Reversible COX-1 inhibition reduces thromboxane-mediated platelet aggregation.

    Clinical management: Usually minor; consider acetaminophen if bleeding is a concern; local hemostasis as needed.

  • Mouth ulcers (ulcerative stomatitis)

    Stomatitis/ulcerative stomatitis is listed in the label (reported in approximately 1% to 10% of patients taking ketorolac or other NSAIDs; ulcerative stomatitis also in postmarketing reports).

    Clinical management: Consider the NSAID when a patient has new oral ulceration; provide symptomatic care and advise the patient to discuss with the prescriber if ulcers persist or recur.

Sources

  1. Adverse drug events in the oral cavity. Yuan A, Woo SB. Oral surgery, oral medicine, oral pathology and oral radiology, 2015.
  2. Ketorolac prescribing information (FDA label) REMEDYREPACK INC. / DailyMed, 2026.
  3. A review and guide to drug-associated oral adverse effects-Oral mucosal and lichenoid reactions. Part 2. Teoh L, Moses G, McCullough MJ. Journal of oral pathology & medicine : official publication of the International Association of Oral Pathologists and the American Academy of Oral Pathology, 2019.