The Medications You Take Can Affect Your Oral Health

 Your mouth is the window to your body. Keeping that in mind, the medications you take daily whether from a doctor’s prescription, over-the-counter medication and/or vitamins/supplements, can affect your oral health.
The most common side effect is xerostomia, dry mouth.  Dry mouth or the decrease in saliva flow allows plaque/bacteria to very easily form on teeth increasing the risk of decay.  Saliva helps keep food from collecting around your teeth and neutralizes the acids produced by plaque.  One can increase the saliva flow and keep the mouth moist by using artificial saliva substitutes or sugar-free candy or sugar-free gum.  When one places a sugar-free candy or gum in their mouth, the mind thinks there is food and saliva flow starts and increases.
Oral soft tissues in the mouth (gums, inside of your cheek, tongue, etc.) can be also affected by medications.  Inhalers for patients with respiratory problems, like asthma or COPD, can cause oral candidiasis which is a fungal infection appearing as white spots/splotches on oral soft tissues.  Oral candidiasis sometimes referred to as Thrush, can be painful or associated with a burning sensation.  It can be treated with medication given to you by your dentist.   To prevent oral candidiasis infection, it is recommended to rinse out the remaining amount of medication in the mouth lining the soft tissues immediately after use.
Medications commonly called “blood thinners” can cause prolonged bleeding after certain dental procedures.  It is important to inform your dentist if you are taking these medications because depending on the dental procedure to be done your dentist may need to consult with your physician.
Bisphosphonates are used to treat osteoporosis and some cancers.  These types of medications have been associated with a rare but serious jaw problem.
Patients who are undergoing or about to undergo cancer treatment should have an examination done by their dentist to identify any dental concerns and to discuss treatments that will maintain good oral health during their cancer treatment.  The most common side effects to cancer treatment are oral sores from radiation and chemotherapy and dental decay.  Dentists have prescriptions, remedies, and treatments that can alleviate these side effects.
These are only a few examples of how medications can affect your oral health.  It is important to inform your dentist of all the medications you are taking, including over-the-counter vitamins and supplements.  By providing your dentist an accurate and complete health history, he or she can provide the best dental care for you.
The office is located at 27420 Tourney Road, Ste 280 in Valencia.  For more information, please call 661-253-0588 and visit www.tourneyroaddental.com.