One is better for dropping fever ( tylenol) and one is better for pain and inflammation. If you are alternating them, you can try giving a little less than is recommended if you are worried about this much medication in a child. By Robert Preidt. HealthDay Reporter. WEDNESDAY, April 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Over-the-counter ibuprofen and acetaminophen provide better relief for dental pain than prescription opioids and. Doctors give unbiased, trusted information on whether Acetaminophen can cause or treat Pain: Dr. Taddeo on alternating advil and tylenol for pain: Not a bad idea. Tylenol, containing the active ingredient acetaminophen, and ibuprofen, sold under various trade names such as Advil and Motrin, can be used safely in combination to relieve pain and fever for short periods of time. Several large research studies have shown that ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) together work well to relieve pain with few side effects. In fact, even for extreme dental pain, these medications combined work better than many opioid pain medications (like Vicodin or Norco). For mild discomfort following endodontic treatment, 400-600mg of ibuprofen (2 or 3 Advil®, Motrin®) is usually adequate (or if you are unable to take ibuprofen, 500-1000mg of acetaminophen (1 or 2 Extra Strength Tylenol®). If you are experiencing moderate to severe pain, we suggested you take 600mg of ibuprofen and 1000mg of acetaminophen at the same time. If this does not give you adequate. Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Motrin (ibuprofen) have been studied for both reducing fever and pain in children. A meta-analysis of 85 studies that directly compared the two drugs for the relief of fever and pain found that ibuprofen was as effective (or more so) as acetaminophen and both drugs were equally safe. Doctors give trusted answers on uses, effects, side-effects, and cautions: Dr. Katz on alternating motrin and tylenol for children: But please remember, fever is a symptom, not an illness. It is much more important to assess how your child feels and acts, and treat accordingly. several years ago i had the shingles which were located my left side of my head. the usual pain was really bad and my doctor recommended for me to take tylenol and motrin at the same time as instructed on the labels. it really helped. After taking all that ,plus a Tylenol 3, my pain went away. I will not take that much meds again. I really believe the ibuprofen helped the most. Thanks for your comment. I hope to see a dentist soon. It's just so expensive to have a tooth pulled.