Which route of administration allows medication to dissolve between the cheek and gum?

Which route of administration allows medication to dissolve between the cheek and gum?

• A. Inhalation
• B. Oral
• C. Buccal
• D. Sublingual

Answer: (C)

The buccal route uses the mucous lining between the cheek and gum. When a medication is placed there, it dissolves in that area and is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the buccal mucosa. This can lead to a relatively rapid onset and avoids much of the stomach and liver’s first-pass metabolism, which is helpful for drugs that are poorly absorbed when swallowed or degraded by gastric acid. It’s different from swallowing a pill (oral route) and from placing a formulation under the tongue (sublingual) or inhaling a drug through the lungs.

The buccal route uses the mucous lining between the cheek and gum. When a medication is placed there, it dissolves in that area and is absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the buccal mucosa. This can lead to a relatively rapid onset and avoids much of the stomach and liver’s first-pass metabolism, which is helpful for drugs that are poorly absorbed when swallowed or degraded by gastric acid. It’s different from swallowing a pill (oral route) and from placing a formulation under the tongue (sublingual) or inhaling a drug through the lungs.