Relation of Polypharmacy to Systemic and Oral Health Related Factors

Abstract

To assess polypharmacy (i.e., multiple medication use, as synthetic chemical products) and its relationship to general, systemic health and oral health factors in adults over 50 years old. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a convenience sample of adult patients recruited from two medical centers from Bucharest, i.e. from the Clinic of Dental Prosthetics, Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy, and from Saint Luca Hospital for Chronic Diseases. Study sample included 126 patients, that used a mean of 5.2 drugs. Almost half of patients (43.65%) used more than five prescribed medications. There was a tendency to use a greater number of medications in the case of patients that were hospitalized at Saint Luca Hospital, were less educated, had a lower income, had a greater number of comorbidities, had untreated edentulism in both jaws, were unfrequently wearing removable prosthesis and were using denture adhesives. Both positive and negative effects of polypharmacy should be considered in mutimorbidity patients when establishing prescription medications, along with general and oral factors that may influence treatment conduct and outcome.