The health and appearance of your smile can be affected by all kinds of things—foods, beverages, and even the medications that you take. Today our Orland Park dentists are going to be talking about how medications can impact your oral health. Keep reading to learn more about some of the most destructive medication side effects.
The first side effect we’re going to talk about is a pretty common one: dry mouth. Dry mouth is undoubtedly annoying to deal with, but, more importantly, it can also lead to dental damage. Keep in mind that saliva is your body’s natural tool for killing bacteria and strengthening enamel. Without adequate saliva, oral bacteria are able to grow and multiply on your teeth and gums, leading to infection and bad breath.
Similarly, acid reflux is an unwanted medication side effect that can cause a lot of damage over time. You may already know that acidic foods and beverages can damage your smile, and this truism applies to stomach acid as well. As acid travels up your esophagus and into your mouth from your stomach, it damages tissues along the way. Talk to your doctor about steps you can take to minimize acid reflux, and to protect your throat, teeth, and gums.
Finally, tetracycline is a specific medication that can have adverse effects for pediatric patients, specifically. When young patients use tetracycline, they risk developing adult teeth that have stains or textural irregularities (like pits and grooves). The good news is that tetracycline doesn’t affect permanent teeth that are already developed, so you really only need to be concerned if you’re using it with a pediatric patient.
Today we have talked about a of the ways in which medication, and the side effects from medication, can affect oral health. If you have additional questions for our Tinley Park dentists, you can always reach our team by calling our office, or by using the Contact Us page on our website. We’re here to serve as your partners in dental care, and we look forward to speaking with you!