Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTablets and CapsulesLiquid MedicationsSublingual/BuccalOther FormsSwallowing PillsFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Tablets and Capsules
Liquid Medications
Sublingual/Buccal
Other Forms
Swallowing Pills
Frequently Asked Questions
Medications that you swallow travel from your stomach or intestine into your bloodstream and then are carried to all parts of your body. This process is known as absorption. The speed with which absorption occurs depends on several factors:
If a quick effect is desired, your healthcare provider may prescribe a medication that will dissolve in your mouth and rapidly enter your bloodstream.
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In general, you should take tablets and capsules with water. Taking certain pills, such as Lipitor (atorvastatin) and Viagra (sildenafil), with fruit juices such as grapefruit can cause potentiallydangerous side effects.Milk can block the absorption of many antibiotics, such as Cipro (ciprofloxacin).
Your healthcare provider or pharmacist will tell you whether to take your medication on an empty stomach or before or after eating. This information is very important because digesting food can interfere with your medication dissolving and passing into your bloodstream.Always follow the directions on your prescription.
If you havetrouble swallowing your medication, tell your healthcare provider and pharmacist. They may be able to provide you with a liquid form of the medication or a pill that is smaller and easier to swallow.
Swallowing Problems: What You Need to Know
Liquid medications are good for children and adults (especially older adults) who are not able to swallow tablets or capsules.
Before measuring the proper dose of liquid medication, make sure to shake the bottle as some of the medication may have “settled” at the bottom.
Most often, you’ll be given medication measurements in teaspoons (remember that teaspoons are smaller than tablespoons). In medicine, a teaspoon means exactly 5 milliliters (ml).
Your household teaspoons may hold more or less than 5 ml. Ask your pharmacist for a spoon, medicine cup, medicine dropper, or a syringe (without a needle) meant specifically for measuring medications. They can show you how to properly use these.
Many over-the-counter liquid medications come with a small medicine cup attached to the top of the bottle.
If the medication has been prescribed for an infant or young child, make sure to speak with your pediatrician about the proper dosage, or amount, of liquid medication for your child.
Sublingual and Buccal Medications
Certain medications are placed under the tongue (sublingual) or between the teeth and the cheek (buccal). These medications are absorbed quickly into the bloodstream through the lining of the mouth and are used to relieve symptoms almost immediately.
Some examples of sublingual medications are Nitrostat and other nitroglycerin preparations used to treat angina (chest pain) and Suboxone (buprenorphine with naloxone), which is used to treat dependence onheroinand/ornarcotic painkillers.
Other Forms of Oral Medications
Chewable Tablets
Chewable tablets should be chewed until they have completely dissolved. They’re not meant to be swallowed whole.
Examples of chewable tablets include Tylenol Chewable and many brands of children’s vitamins.
Chewing Gum Medications
Chewing gum medications have a minimum time that they must be chewed to ensure that the entire amount of drug has been released, often up to 30 minutes.
Examples of medicated chewing gums include Nicorette Gum (nicotine) and Aspergum (aspirin).
Lozenges
Lozenges are meant to dissolve slowly in your mouth, like hard candy. They should not be swallowed.
Examples of medicated lozenges include Commit (nicotine) and Cepacol (benzocaine).
Softchew Medications
Softchew medications are meant to melt in your mouth or to be chewed.
Examples of softchew medications include Rolaids Soft Chew (calcium carbonate) and Triaminic Softchews Chest Congestion (guaifenesin and pseudoephedrine).
Tip for Swallowing Pills
Swallowing pills can be an unpleasant and uncomfortable experience for some. If you have difficulty swallowing pills, there are things that you can do to facilitate this process.
For example, German researchers found success with the following technique called the “pop bottle method.“This technique was tested with tablets.
Please note that this intervention has not been tested extensively and, if interested, you should discuss this technique with your healthcare provider before you try it. Furthermore, if you have difficulty swallowing in general, you should probably be evaluated fordysphagia.
On a final note, always read the instructions carefully and take your medications as recommended. If you have any doubts or concerns, contact your healthcare provider or pharmacist.
Frequently Asked QuestionsNo, chewable pills are designed to be chewed and not swallowed whole. Some of the medication in chewable tablets mix with digestive enzymes in your saliva and are absorbed through the membranes in the mouth.Swallowing a chewable pill can result in the medication not working as quickly or effectively.In addition, chewable tablets are often quite large and can be difficult to swallow.Not unless it is a chewable formulation. Many medication labels warn that you should not crush or chew a tablet. In particular, time- or extended-release tablets should never be chewed. Doing so can result in more medication being released into the bloodstream, which can be dangerous.In addition, some medications can irritate the stomach lining. Chewing these medications can compound the problem.Sometimes, but check with your pharmacist first. Some medications, like time-released formulas, should never be crushed as they can result in too much medicine entering the bloodstream at once.If the pharmacist says the medication is safe to mix into food, yogurt, ice cream, or apple sauce are popular foods that can help the medicine go down.
No, chewable pills are designed to be chewed and not swallowed whole. Some of the medication in chewable tablets mix with digestive enzymes in your saliva and are absorbed through the membranes in the mouth.Swallowing a chewable pill can result in the medication not working as quickly or effectively.In addition, chewable tablets are often quite large and can be difficult to swallow.
No, chewable pills are designed to be chewed and not swallowed whole. Some of the medication in chewable tablets mix with digestive enzymes in your saliva and are absorbed through the membranes in the mouth.
Swallowing a chewable pill can result in the medication not working as quickly or effectively.In addition, chewable tablets are often quite large and can be difficult to swallow.
Not unless it is a chewable formulation. Many medication labels warn that you should not crush or chew a tablet. In particular, time- or extended-release tablets should never be chewed. Doing so can result in more medication being released into the bloodstream, which can be dangerous.In addition, some medications can irritate the stomach lining. Chewing these medications can compound the problem.
Not unless it is a chewable formulation. Many medication labels warn that you should not crush or chew a tablet. In particular, time- or extended-release tablets should never be chewed. Doing so can result in more medication being released into the bloodstream, which can be dangerous.
In addition, some medications can irritate the stomach lining. Chewing these medications can compound the problem.
Sometimes, but check with your pharmacist first. Some medications, like time-released formulas, should never be crushed as they can result in too much medicine entering the bloodstream at once.If the pharmacist says the medication is safe to mix into food, yogurt, ice cream, or apple sauce are popular foods that can help the medicine go down.
Sometimes, but check with your pharmacist first. Some medications, like time-released formulas, should never be crushed as they can result in too much medicine entering the bloodstream at once.
If the pharmacist says the medication is safe to mix into food, yogurt, ice cream, or apple sauce are popular foods that can help the medicine go down.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Center for Biotechnology Information. National Library of Medicine.Drug Absorption.
National Library of Medicine.Drugs and Lactation Database: Ciprofloxacin.
Cheng L, Wong H. Food Effects on Oral Drug Absorption:Application of Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Modeling as a Predictive Tool.Pharmaceutics. 2020 Jul 17;12(7):672. doi:10.3390/pharmaceutics12070672.
National Library of Medicine.Crushing tablets or opening capsules: many uncertainties, some established dangers.Prescrire Int. 2014 Sep;23(152):209-11, 213-4.
Schiele JT et al.Two techniques to make swallowing pills easier.Annals of Family Medicine. 2014;12(6):550-562. doi:10.1370/afm.1693
Nyamweya N, Kimani S.Chewable tablets: a review of formulation considerations.Pharmaceutical Technology. 2020;44(11):38–44-38–44.
National Library of Medicine.Hydromorphone.
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