A Mouthful of Medicines, a Mouthful of Tooth Decay

The dentist had not expected at all tooth decay quite so large to be seen on the elderly man's front tooth. Because he gagged when he put his prescribed nitroglycerine tablets under his tongue, he decided to put it under his upper lip instead. They were the reason for why he had a hole in his tooth.

According to oral medicine specialists, dozens of the medicines which Americans take are actually sources of tooth decay and gum disease. Patients don't know these side effects because their doctors don't tell them, and this might be because their doctors don't know also, the specialists say.

Try to find out about their medications, says one dentist and pharmacologist at the University of Buffalo to other dentists. He said they have to look very carefully at the medicines their patients take and think very carefully about the side effects.

The following information was presented by oral medicine specialists who taught classes at this week's ADA meeting. A side effect of calcium channel blockers is gum swelling, which can be found in 20% of patients who take these drugs. Inflammation opens pockets in the gums so that bacteria can get in and infect it, thus creating swelling. Several of these medicines are taken by thousands of people.

Among the side effects of anti epilepsy drugs and amphetamines is swelling of the gums. Greater gum swelling is caused by a drug used for organ transplant patients, which is called cyclosporin. According to the dentist, its appearance can be mistaken for the inflammation caused by leukemia.

Hundreds of drug cause dry mouth, which is also a side effect of radiation treatment. Dental problems result from lack of saliva, and those who don't have enough may need topical fluoride treatment. Because of the problems calcium channel blockers bring, the dentist would often resort to asking doctors for a switch in the patient's prescription.

If not, then it is recommended that their plaque buildup be monitored and that trips to the dentist have to be done every two months. Another dentist pointed out that to avoid the side effects of these drugs, all you need to do is make sure your mouth is kept clean. There is no problem in plaque free mouth he said.

The gums of the Dilantin patient in the picture he had were swelling so badly that only the tips of his front teeth were 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. There are other things to be concerned about aside from prescription drugs. Full of sugar, over the counter lozenges and cough drops are also among the concerns of dentists.

He recalls one woman who had new cavities inside her mouth every time. Dentists were left mystified because she took care of her teeth and always brushed and avoided sweets. Later on, it was discovered by the receptionist that the woman was popping three packs of antacids into her mouth every day.

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