subject: Dentist Traces Dental Problems To Medicines [print this page] The dentist had not expected at all tooth decay quite so large to be seen on the elderly man's front tooth. The man was on medication, and he put the tablets under his upper lip instead of under his tongue. These tablets ate away at his tooth, creating that big hole.
It was pointed out by oral medicine experts that the every day medicines the common American takes can cause tooth decay and gum disease. The oral experts state that it's possible that doctors are ignorant of the side effects or they know about them but don't tell the patients.
Find out what the status of your patient's general health is and what medicines he takes, a dentist and pharmacologist at the University of Buffalo advises other dentists. Look carefully at them, think carefully about what they can do, he advises dentists.
Oral medicine specialists say that the following are the top problematic drug side effects. Gum swelling is a problem of 20% of patients who take calcium channel blockers. Inflammation opens gums so that they are susceptible to bacterial infection, thus developing swelling and gum disease. Many of these medicines are widely sold all over the country.
Swelling is a side effect of amphetamines used to treat children's hyperactivity, as well as anti epilepsy drugs. Cyclosporin is a medication that organ transplant recipients take, and its side effects include massive gum overgrowth. The inflammation of the gums has the same appearance as the inflammation caused by leukemia.
Hundreds of drug cause dry mouth, which is also a side effect of radiation treatment. When people don't have enough saliva, they may suffer cavities, excess plaque, and fungal infections. Problems may be so severe that the dentist would often ask doctors to change their prescription to another drug if possible.
If it is impossible, the patients must see the dentist frequently and their plaque buildup must be monitored. Showing a photograph of a patient with damaged teeth and gums, another dentist pointed out that gum side effects can be avoided by a clean mouth. If there's no plaque, there's no problem, he said.
The only visible part of the front teeth of the Dilantin patient in the photo he showed was the tips because of swollen gums. Treatment of the gum pockets within 10 days is recommended by him for patients going on Dilantin to minimize the condition. Prescription drugs are just among other problems for dentists. Sugar is an ingredient found in lozenges and cough drops, as well as antacids.
He is reminded of a woman who kept on having cavities. Dentists were confused by what they saw because they knew that the woman made tooth brushing a habit, and hardly ate sweets. It was eventually discovered that the woman, who was seen popping pills by the receptionist, sucked on three packs of antacid a day.
