The Medicines You Take Could Aggravate Your Dental Problems

The tooth decay the dentist found on the elderly man's mouth was one highly unusual black hole on one of his front teeth. Because the man almost threw up on his prescribed nitroglycerine tablets when placed under his tongue, he stuck them under his upper lip instead. These tablets created the hole in his tooth.

Gum disease and tooth decay may be caused by the intake of common medications that Americans always take, say oral medicine experts. Either doctors have no clue to these dental side effects or they don't let their patients know, say the specialists. You will find info on sedation dentistry by visiting that site.

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 at each tablet and each pill with scrutiny and think about the side effects they may have, he tells dentists.

Instructors at this week's ADA meeting have made a list of the top problems caused by these medicines. Up to 20 percent of patients taking calcium channel blockers for high blood pressure and heart disease suffer gum swelling. Inflammation makes openings that allow bacteria to get in and cause gum swelling and disease. These medicines are widely used around the nation.

Similar swelling is caused by anti epilepsy drugs, and some amphetamines used to treat hyperactivity in children. Massive gum overgrowth is the symptoms of the organ transplant drug known as cyclosporin. Its appearance also can resemble the gum inflammation caused by leukemia, he warned. You will find that further information on sleep dentist is on that site.

Dry mouth, an apparent side effect of 400 drugs, is also a side effect of radiation treatment for cancer. Essential to a healthy, saliva keeps cavities and plaque from forming, so lack of saliva may be a serious dental problem. If the dentist does not agree with the doctor's prescription of calcium channel blockers, he would ask the doctor to change it to another heart medicine which does not cause too much dental problems.

Otherwise, plaque buildup must be strictly monitored and the trips to the dentist have to be at least once 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.If no plaque can be found in the mouth, then there's nothing to worry about, he said.

The only clearly visible part of the front teeth of the Dilantin patient with swollen gums in the photograph he showed was the tips. 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. The problem is not just confined to prescription drugs. Lozenges, cough drops, and antacids contain a lot of sugar.

A woman had a problem, which was the repeated presence of cavities. She did not eat sweets so much and brushed her teeth regularly, and this made dentists wonder.She later on admitted that she sucked on three packs of antacid a day.