My Healthy Habits

It was large black hole, it was on the elderly man’s front tooth, and it was definitely something the dentist didn’t expect to see. He was taking nitroglycerine tablets which he placed under his upper lip instead of under his tongue. These tablets ate away at his tooth, creating that big hole.

Gum disease and tooth decay may be caused by the intake of common medications that Americans always take, say oral medicine experts. According to the oral medicine experts, doctors might not have a clue that these dental side effects exist, and if they do know, they’re not telling. You will find info on sedation dentistry sydney 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 carefully at them, think carefully about what they can do, he advises dentists.

These facts are presented by oral medicine specialists who handled classes at this week’s ADA meeting. 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 pockets in the gums so that bacteria can get in and infect it, thus creating swelling.These medicines are widely used around the nation.

Drugs for epilepsy and drugs for child hyperactivity may also cause similar swellings. A drug used by organ transplant recipients, cyclosporin can cause massive gum swelling. The appearance of leukemia caused gum inflammation is almost the same as cyclosporin caused inflammation.You will find that further information on dental sedation is on that site.

A side effect of radiation treatment for cancer, dry mouth is a side effect of hundreds of drugs. Topical fluoride treatment might be necessary for people who don’t have enough saliva since they are prone to dental problems and infections. Because of the problems calcium channel blockers bring, the dentist would often resort to asking doctors for a switch in the patient’s prescription.

Otherwise, it is recommended that plaque control be implemented strictly and patients see the dentist every two months. Keep the mouth clean, and there will be no need to worry about gum side effects, another dentist advised. He says that you will have no problem to worry about if there’s no plaque.

The only clearly visible part of the front teeth of the Dilantin patient with swollen gums in the photograph he showed was the tips. If you have patients going on Dilantin, getting them to the dentist in 10 days can minimize that condition, by treating gum pockets where bacteria lurks, he advised. Prescription drugs are not the only things you should be concerned about. Sugar is an ingredient found in lozenges and cough drops, as well as antacids.

For one woman, new cavities showing up almost every time was a problem.Dentists were confused by what they saw because they knew that the woman made tooth brushing a habit, and hardly ate sweets. The receptionist found out later on that this woman was actually taking antacid in huge amounts every day.