Oral Health Side Effects of Medications

Medications help us. They make us feel better by masking or taking away our pain. They fight infections. They control our blood sugar and our moods. Some medications wake us up when we are sleepy. Then other medications make us sleepy when we are not. Many medications have multiple effects. For example, aspirin is a great head ache remedy, and it thins blood which is helpful in preventing and treating heart attacks. Unfortunately, aspirin use may cause stomach ulcers. Many medications have unintended results called side effects. When medications cause oral health side effects, your dentist can be very helpful.

Xerostomia or dry mouth is a common side effect of over 400 medications. Dryness will frequently accompany the use of cold remedies such as antihistamines and decongestants. Moisture will return when the medication leaves the body. Aging and diseases such as scleroderma and diabetes cause xerostomia as well. It is important to determine the cause of dryness and very important to treat chronic xerostomia.

Treating dry mouth may be as simple as not taking a medication that causes it. Sometimes the medication is so important, that the patient must continue taking it in spite of the side effect. That is true for diuretics taken to reduce blood pressure, antidepressants, and chemotherapeutics.

Many treatments for xerostomia are simple and effective. Sip water frequently throughout the day. Suck on sugar free hard candies or chew sugar free gum to stimulate the poorly functioning salivary glands. Some mouthrinses are especially soothing for dry mouths such as Laclede's Biotene Mouthwash (www.Laclede.com). Biotene is a soothing, antibacterial rinse that is safe enough to sip slowly for throat irritations. Most people with chronic xerostomia appreciate artificial saliva such as Salivart (www.Gebauer.com) aerosol and Oasis Mouth Wash and Spray (www.OasisProfessional.com). Artificial saliva products are very soothing; they are isotonic solutions with moisturizers. Artificial saliva products do more than just wet the mucosa; they lubricate the tissues and help keep them moist.

Some people benefit from the use of medications that increase salivation. Dentists or physicians may prescribe Salagen or Evoxac for that purpose. These medications are effective, but they will take a couple of weeks of consistent use to show noticeable results and a few months to build up to the full effect. Sweating is a common side effect, and these medications may interact with others. Finally, everyone with xerostomia except those who are fully edentulous (lacking any natural teeth) should use additional fluoride to prevent tooth decay. Ask your dentist to prescribe toothpaste with a higher concentration of fluoride like Prevident 5000 Plus (www.ColgateProfessional.com), and ask about professional fluoride applications. Xerostomia is a fact of life for many. However, modern treatments will make life more pleasant.

Over 200 medications cause taste changes also known as dysgeusia. Lithium, antibiotics, chemotherapeutic agents and chlorhexidine (a common treatment for gum disease) are frequent culprits. Medication can affect taste by damaging the taste buds, interacting with the taste buds, being excreted into saliva, and causing xerostomia. Without the medication, dysgeusia usually reverses.

Many kinds of medications (66 different drugs in a computer search of medication side effects) cause stomatitis the technical term for inflammation of the lining of the mouth. Ulcerative stomatitis refers to the formation of painful sores or aphthae in the lining of the mouth. Some medications that cause stomatitis include fluoride, methotrexate (a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis), and Nicotrol NS (a smoking cessation aid). Some of the medications that cause stomatitis are important to continue taking in spite of the difficulty. Dentists aid their patients who suffer with stomatitis and ulcerative stomatitis by helping them to keep their mouths free of infection, and by prescribing medications that reduce the pain of stomatitis and promote healing. Patients may prefer to use a toothpaste like Biotene Antibacterial Dry Mouth Toothpaste that lacks the foaming agent, sodium lauryl sulphate, which is an irritant.

Some very important medications cause gingival hyperplasia, overgrowth of the gums. These medications are important to patients' health and quality of life, so that patients must continue the treatment regardless of side effects. Cyclosporin is an antirejection medication often prescribed to maintain transplanted organs. People who have epilepsy take dilantin to prevent seizures. Nifedipine is a treatment for high blood pressure.

Excellent oral hygiene and more frequent professional cleaning will slow the growth of gingival hyperplasia. When hyperplasia becomes uncomfortable or unsightly, the only treatment is surgical removal of the excess tissue also known as gingivectomy.

Seeing your dentist regularly is always important; people living with chronic illnesses and accompanying medications especially benefit from the involvement of their dentist. The dentist may notice that a medication is causing a negative oral health effect before the patient or the physician. It is a good idea to carry a current list of medications to dental appointments. If new oral symptoms coincide with new medications, speak with your dentist and your physician. The physician will decide if the prescription should change. The dentist will monitor side effects and provide supportive treatment.