Dental Problems Traced To Prescribed Medication

The elderly man's tooth decay, a large black hole on one of his front teeth

, was a sight that the dentist did not expect to see. He was taking nitroglycerine tablets which he placed under his upper lip instead of under his tongue. The hole in his tooth was caused by the tablets.

The oral medicine specialists have stated that hundreds of commonly taken pills and tablets are direct causes of tooth decay and gum disease. According to the oral medicine experts, doctors might not have a clue that these dental side effects exist, and if they do know, they're not telling.

A dentist and pharmacologist at the University of Buffalo said they urged dentists to question patients about their general health and medications. He advises dentists to make careful observations of the medicines and to consider the side effects they may have.

Drug side effects, as presented by oral medicine specialists who taught at this week's ADA meeting, include the following. Gum swelling is a side effect of calcium channel blockers which can be seen in about 20% of the patients who take them. Gum swelling and disease come about through the infiltation of bacteria in the gums through pockets caused by inflammation. Most Americans take a lot of the medicines included in the list.

Medications to prevent epilepsy attacks and to treat hyperactivity also create similar types of swelling. Another drug, cyclosporin, is used by organ transplant recipients and can cause massive gum overgrowth. The inflammation caused by cyclosporin is similar to that of leukemia.

More than 400 drugs can cause a side effect known as dry mouth, which is apparent in radiation treatment patients. Essential to a healthy, saliva keeps cavities and plaque from forming, so lack of saliva may be a serious dental problem. The dentist would often advise the doctor to give a different heart medicine in place of calcium channel blockers because of the severity of the problem.

If not, then regular trips to the dentist are in order, as well as strict plaque control. Another oral specialist points out that as long as the mouth is kept clean, then there's no worry about gum side effects. If no plaque can be found in the mouth, then there's nothing to worry about, he said.

A photograph he showed is that of a Dilantin patient with gums so swollen that only the tips of the front teeth could be seen. A patient who is on Dilantin is recommended to see a dentist in 10 days so that the condition can be minimized through treatment, he said. But prescription drugs aren't the only problem. Lozenges, cough drops, and antacids contain a lot of sugar.

He is reminded of a woman who kept on having cavities. It was a wonder for dentists, since she always brushed regularly and did not eat sweets. Eventually, after the receptionist reported the woman popping pills, it was discovered that the woman sucked on a lot of antacid every day.

by: Michael Long.

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