There are many medications that can cause or contribute to periodontal disease. Some of them are the following:
Adverse reactions less than 0.5%: Gingival hyperplasia, Thrombocytopenia, Anemia, Leukopenia, Purpura.
The following are calcium channel blockers:
Adalat Cardizem Isoptin Plendil
Calan=Varapamil Dilacor Nimotop Vascor
Cardene DynaCirc=Isradipine* Norvasic Verelan
*Isradipine is a calcium channel blocker which has not had any reports of gingival hyperplasia.
Treatment: If prescribed for blood pressure, then suggest changing to a beta blocker. If used for regulation of heart rate, then consider switching to isradipine.
Antibiotics are usually given for relatively short periods of time to treat acute infections, therefore, rarely affect the gingiva. Long term treatment can cause antibiotic resistant bacterial infections, and can affect the immune system.
Some examples include the second generation cephalosporins which can cause thrombocytopenia (rarely), neutropenia (especially in long courses of therapy).
Examples:
Ceclor Kefurox Monocid
Cefotan Mandol Zefazone
Ceftin Mefoxin Zinacef
Macrobid and Macrodantin (nitrofurantoin) are used for urinary tract infectionsand can cause agranulocytosis, leukopenia, granulocytopenia, hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, megaloplastic anemia.
ColBENEMID is Probenecid-Colchicine. Prolonged administration to treat uric acid retention, i.e., gout, may cause bone marrow depression, with agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and aplastic anemia thus reducing the resistance to periodontal disease.
Dilantin is a medication given to prevent seizures. It is associated with severe overgrowth of the gums, called dilantin gingival hyperplasia.
Neoral and Sandimmune are used to prevent tissue rejection. Like Dilantin, they can cause severe overgrowth of the gums, called cyclosporin gingival hyperplasia.
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Copyright © 2002 Dale R. Johnstone, DDS