If you're taking medications for
certain health conditions, it may not have crossed your mind that they
can also impact your oral health. After all, medications are supposed to
bring equilibrium back to your system, not stir things up, right? Truth
is a variety of prescribed medications can affect your teeth.
Antihistamines may cause dry mouth
syndrome, which can lead to sore gums, making the mouth more prone to
infection. Contraceptives and blood pressure medications may cause mouth
sores, gum inflammation and discoloration. Blood thinners can interfere
with your ability to form blood clots or cause heavy bleeding after a
tooth extraction. Anti-seizure medications can cause an overgrowth of
gum tissue (gingival hyperplasia) and make it difficult to practice good
oral hygiene.
When you're taking medications and
start taking other medications - whether prescribed, over-the-counter or
illegal - it can change the effects of both the original and the new
medications. Simply put, when certain drugs interact, they may increase
or decrease the effects or produce another, unintended effect. This is
why it's so important to keep your dentist informed about all the
medications you take; any teeth medications you are prescribed will take
this into consideration.
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