Oral administration

Per os (; P.O.) is an adverbial phrase meaning literally from Latin "through the mouth" or "by mouth". The expression is used in medicine to describe a treatment that is taken orally (but not used in the mouth such as, caries prophylaxis). The abbreviation P.O. is often used on medical prescriptions. ==Scope==

Enteral administration includes: • Buccal, dissolved inside the cheek • Sublabial, dissolved under the lip • Sublingual administration (SL), dissolved under the tongue, but due to rapid absorption many consider SL a parenteral route • Oral (PO), swallowed tablet, capsule or liquid Enteral medications come in various forms, including oral solid dosage (OSD) forms: • Tablets to swallow, chew or dissolve in water or under the tongue • Capsules and chewable capsules (with a coating that dissolves in the stomach or bowel to release the medication there) • Time-release or sustained-release tablets and capsules (which release the medication gradually) • Powders or granules and oral liquid dosage forms: • Teas • Drops • Liquid medications or syrups ==Facilitating methods==

Concomitant ingestion of water facilitates in swallowing tablets and capsules. If the substance has disagreeable taste, addition of a flavor may facilitate ingestion. Substances that are harmful to the teeth are preferably given through a straw. ==See also==