Primary Culprits. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI,) atypical antidepressants, and tricyclic antidepressants.
Dry mouth (xerostomia) is a fairly common side effect of antidepressants. It might seem like a trivial problem, but its importance shouldn't be underestimated. Saliva is the mouth's natural defence against bacteria, and a reduction in saliva can lead to bad breath and tooth decay.
Dry mouth may affect up to 20 percent of those taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft and up to 55 percent of those taking older tricyclic antidepressants. Dry mouth can set the stage for tooth decay, gum disease, oral infections, and other problems.
→ Patients commonly present with jaw pain, teeth grinding, and trismus in the setting of drugs like fluoxetine, sertraline, and venlafaxine.
Background: Antidepressant drugs such as fluoxetine are of the most commonly used drugs among the public. These drugs may impact the regulation of bone cell functioning, and thus affect orthodontic tooth movement.
Many prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications can affect the teeth and gums. It is important that you tell your dentist about any medications you are taking. Many medications cause a condition called dry mouth, which significantly increases the risk of tooth decay.
Cavities, also called tooth decay or caries, are caused by a combination of factors, including bacteria in your mouth, frequent snacking, sipping sugary drinks and not cleaning your teeth well.
Tooth decay can occur when acid is produced from plaque, which builds up on your teeth. If plaque is allowed to build up, it can lead to further problems, such as dental caries (holes in the teeth), gum disease or dental abscesses, which are collections of pus at the end of the teeth or in the gums.
agitation, fever, sweating, confusion, fast or irregular heartbeat, shivering, severe muscle stiffness or twitching, hallucinations, loss of coordination, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea. fast, slow, or irregular heartbeat. shortness of breath. dizziness or fainting.
Fluoxetine may cause some teenagers and young adults to be agitated, irritable, or display other abnormal behaviors. It may also cause some people to have suicidal thoughts and tendencies or to become more depressed.
There do not seem to be any lasting harmful effects from taking fluoxetine for many months and years but if you are worried, speak to your doctor.
This medicine may cause hyponatremia (low sodium in the blood). This is more common in elderly patients, those who are taking diuretic medicines for high blood pressure, or those who have decreased amounts of fluid in the body due to severe diarrhea or vomiting.
Two recent reviews of research in this area concluded that discontinuation effects, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, and sleep disturbance (multiple long-wake periods) are adverse effects of long-term SSRI use.
To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of sertraline. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed.
As health professionals, dentists need to provide the safest and best treatment to their patients. To do this, they need to know about any medical conditions that you may have and if you take any medications. Disclose any information to your dentist, even if you don't think it relates to your mouth.
Dental patients receiving antidepressant medication might be at increased risk for xerostomia or dry mouth, according to the researchers. If left untreated, xerostomia could lead to rampant tooth decay, periodontal disease (gum disease), bad breath, oral yeast infection and other oral health problems.
People with chronic stress are more prone to tooth decay.
Both of these habits can make you more prone to cavities in the long run. Those who take medications for chronic stress are also often more at risk for dry mouth.
Periodontitis (per-e-o-don-TIE-tis), also called gum disease, is a serious gum infection that damages the soft tissue and, without treatment, can destroy the bone that supports your teeth. Periodontitis can cause teeth to loosen or lead to tooth loss. Periodontitis is common but largely preventable.
Vitamin D plays a key role in bone and tooth mineralization, and when levels are unregulated it can lead to the “rachitic tooth”, which is a defective and hypomineralized organ highly susceptible to fracture and decay [35,36].
The commonly prescribed antidepressants such as fluoxetine and venlafaxine do not protect the periodontium from destruction in spite of possessing anti-inflammatory properties; therefore, these drugs may be considered as a risk factor for periodontal health.
The inflammation during tooth movement can activate odontoclasts, which can cause external root resorption due to release of tissue degenerative enzymes. Since the degree of inflammation is subject to alteration after amitriptyline prescription, the change in the degree of root resorption is also probable.
Parents are often surprised to learn that tooth decay can begin as soon as a baby's teeth come in, usually by age six months. Decay in baby teeth can cause pain, and the infection can spread. If decay is not treated, it can destroy the baby teeth.
Decayed Enamel Can't be “Re-Grown”
But as of yet, it's physically impossible. Once a tooth has a physical cavity (opening or hole) inside of it, there is no feasible way to help the enamel grow back on your own. Instead, the cavity will gradually worsen, due to the bacterial infection inside of the tooth structure.