Are dental outcomes associated with medication use in young and older adults?

Abstract

Abstract Objetive: We aimed to examine the association between medication use and dental outcomes in 4,531 individuals aged 18 to 44 and 45 to 64 years. Method: Medical and dental data were obtained from the Dental Registry and DNA Repository project at the University of Pittsburgh. Demographic data, medical history, and oral health data were collected. Self-reported medication use was obtained for several types of pharmacologic therapeutic classes. Dental outcomes analyzed were: sound teeth, caries experience, caries activity, periodontal disease, endodontic treatment, and missing or extracted teeth. Results: The use of any type of medication was identified in 65.22% (n = 2,955) of the sample, with higher frequencies for psychiatric/neurological medications (26.84%, n = 1,216), cardiovascular medications (20.06%, n = 909), and analgesics (14.72%, n = 667). Overall, the use of these medications was associated (p< 0.0001) with a lower number of healthy teeth and a higher number of extracted teeth in the 18 to 44 age group for all types of teeth assessed. Medication use is associated with a higher number of maxillary and mandibular teeth affected by caries, and contraceptive use was associated with a lower number of active caries in the same groups of teeth (p< 0.0001). Conclusions: The use of drugs for psychiatric or neurological disorders, immunomodulators, pain, antimicrobials, proton pump inhibitors, and cardiovascular disease was associated with fewer healthy teeth, more extracted or missing teeth, and more active caries in anterior teeth. The use of contraceptives was associated with better oral health conditions.