The dentist was not expecting to see such a large black hole on the elderly man's front tooth. The man was taking medicine for his heart which he placed under his upper lip instead of under his tongue. These tablets created the hole in his tooth.
The oral medicine specialists have stated that hundreds of commonly taken pills and tablets are direct causes of tooth decay and gum disease. It's possible that doctors have no idea that the medicines may damage teeth, but it's also possible they know but aren't saying, the oral experts pointed out.
A dentist and pharmacologist at the University of Buffalo said they urged dentists to question patients about their general health and medications. He urges dentists to make careful observations on each tablet and pill and think about their side effects.
Oral medicine specialists present the following information on the top problematic side effects of medicines. Gum swelling is a side effect of calcium channel blockers which can be seen in about 20% of the patients who take them. Inflammation opens gums so that they are susceptible to bacterial infection, thus developing swelling and gum disease. The commonly taken drugs are included in the list of medicines.
Among the side effects of anti epilepsy drugs and amphetamines is swelling of the gums. Cyclosporin, used by organ transplant recipients to prevent organ rejection, can cause an even more massive gum overgrowth. The inflammation of the gums has the same appearance as the inflammation caused by leukemia.
Dry mouth, a side effect of radiation treatment, is caused by several kinds of drugs. Those who don't have enough saliva may need topical fluoride treatment because they are prone to various dental problems. 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. Indeed, gum side effects could be prevented by a clean mouth, said another dentist, who showed a photograph of a Procardia patient whose teeth and gums were so damaged the patient needed surgery. If no plaque can be found in the mouth, then there's nothing to worry about, he said.
Because of swollen gums, only the tips of the teeth of a Dilantin patient could be seen in the photograph he showed. He stated that a patient who is taking Dilantin is recommended to consult the dentist in 10 days so that the gum pockets where bacteria lurks could be treated. But prescription drugs aren't the only problem. Antacids, cough drops, and over the counter lozenges all contain sugar.
A woman had a problem, which was the repeated presence of cavities. According to her, she always brushed her teeth and hardly ate sweets, and so it made dentists wonder. Then his receptionist spotted the woman popping pills, and she acknowledged she sucked on three packs of the antacid a day.
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