Can Your Medications Affect Your Oral Health?

Medications are often prescribed to assist with an illness or a long-term medical condition. While these medications are often used to improve your health, there are various side-effects that can negatively affect your oral health. When under the weather or dealing with a medical complication, the effect medications can have on your oral health is not always your first concern; however, many medications, prescribed and over-the-counter, can have lasting negative effects on your teeth and gums.

Common Side Effects of Medication

These are some of the common side effects caused by prescribed and over-the-counter medications:

Dry Mouth
A large number of medications can cause dry mouth, a condition leading to the lack of saliva production. Lack of saliva can cause frequent bouts of tooth decay and repeated dental issues. Medications that can cause dry mouth include:

• Decongestants
• Antihistamines
• High blood pressure medications
• Antidepressants
• Parkinson’s medications
• Sedatives
• Pain medications

Abnormal Bleeding
Certain medications, such as blood thinners, can cause the gums to bleed abnormally, especially when brushing and flossing. Be sure to notify our office when you are using blood thinners as it can lead to excessive bleeding during cleanings. We may also need to make some adjustments before proceeding with any treatments.

Cancer Treatments
Many chemotherapy treatments and medications used to treat various forms of cancer can cause severe complications to your oral health and affect the state of your teeth. We understand that receiving a diagnosis and going through treatments can be difficult, but we encourage you to schedule an appointment in our office as soon as possible. Along with everything else you are experiencing, we would hate for oral health complications to further complicate the situation.

Share Any Changes to Your Medical History
The next time you visit our office, be sure to notify our team of any changes to your medical history. This includes any medical diagnosis or additions or changes in medication. Changes to your medical history can lead to complications with your oral health. We may have to adjust the way we treat your mouth or modify your treatment plan to accommodate.

The next time you are prescribed medication, remember to ask how it can affect your oral health. If your doctor or pharmacist can’t answer your questions, don’t hesitate to call our office located in Montgomery, AL. We are happy to help!

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