1.      Wash hands with soap and warm water.

 

2.      Sit in an upright position.

 

3.      Other oral medications must be given before the sublingual medication.

 

4.      Moisten the mouth with a sip of water, if it is dry. Swallow or spit out the water.

 

5.      Check the medication label to ensure correct medication is administered.

 

6.      Open the mouth and raise the tongue. Place a tablet beneath the tongue.

 

7.      Close the mouth. Do not swallow or chew the tablet.

 

8.      Refrain from eating, drinking, or smoking while the tablet is dissolving. Until the tablet has dissolved completely, do not swallow.

 

9.      Do not rinse the mouth for several minutes after the tablet has dissolved.

 

10.If symptoms such as soreness, redness, swelling or bleeding in the mouth occur, contact the doctor immediately.

 

Administration of sublingual sprays also requires the patient to open the mouth. The patient should not breathe while the medicine is being sprayed. The spray should be held about one inch away from the pocket beneath the tongue, and directed toward the tongue. If the patient cannot hold up the tongue voluntarily, assistance may be sought. The tongue should be held up by the assistant with the non-dominant hand using gauze pad to provide grip.

Liquid suspensions may be given in a medicine cup or squirted into the patient's mouth using a medicine syringe without a needle. The bottle must be shaken before the medicine is poured. The patient should hold and swish the liquid in the mouth for a time as directed by the doctor. Only some liquid suspensions are then swallowed, whereas the others are spit out. Please check with the doctor on the course of action.

Written by: Healthplus24 team
Date last updated: April 19,2009