Buccal medications

What are buccal medications?

Medications can be given sublingually or buccally. This means a liquid or pill is placed under the tongue (sublingual) or in the space between the cheek and gums (buccal) so that the medication is absorbed into the blood stream. The large number of blood vessels under the tongue and in the cheek helps the medication to be absorbed into the body.

Follow the directions of your physician/pharmacist to administer the correct dose.

Equipment used for buccal medications

  • Vial/Ampoule of medication
  • Needle
  • 1 ml syringe
  • Alcohol swab
  • Procedure
  • Prepare the syringe: Vial
  • Blunt Fill Needle
  • Vial
  1. Attach the needle to the syringe. For your safety, leave the cover on the needle while you do this.
  2. Take the cap off the medication vial, if there is one.
  3. Wipe the top of the vial with the alcohol swab
  4. With the needle cover still on the needle, pull back on the plunger and pull air into the syringe. The amount of air pulled into the syringe should be the same as the dose of medication the doctor has prescribed.
  5. Carefully pull the needle cover straight off the needle.
  6. Push the plunger of the syringe down and inject air into the vial.
  7. Keeping the needle in the vial, turn the vial upside down and make sure the needle is in the liquid medication.
  8. Slowly pull back on the plunger and let the medicine enter the syringe, until you have withdrawn the prescribed amount of medication.
  9. Ensure the dose is correct before removing it from the vial. Also check that there are no bubbles in the syringe.
  10. Recap the needle and remove it from the syringe.
  11. Place needle in a puncture-resistant, leak-proof sharps. Container provided by your local pharmacy.

Prepare the syringe: Ampoule

Ampoule <> Filter Needle

  1. Attach the filtered needle to the syringe. For your safety, leave the cover on the needle while you do this.
  2. Flick the top of the ampoule to get any medication trapped in the top back into the bottom.
  3. Hold the ampoule with the white dot facing away and pull back on the top of the ampoule towards yourself in a snapping motion.
  4. Draw the prescribed amount of medication into the syringe.
  5. Ensure the dose is correct before removing the syringe from the ampoule. Also check that there are no bubbles in the syringe.
  6. Recap the needle and remove it from the syringe.
  7. Place needle in a puncture-resistant, leak-proof sharps container provided by your local pharmacy.

Give the dose:

  1. Insert the syringe into the child’s cheek (buccal) or under the tongue (sublingual).
  2. Push the plunger down, slowly coating the cheek (buccal) or under the tongue (sublingual) until all medication is administered and syringe is empty.
  3. Allow the medication to dissolve.

If you have any questions, please call Canuck Place: 604-742-3475

If you have any feedback to help us improve this document, please email APN@canuckplace.org

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