At some point in your life, you have had to take prescription medication that restored you to perfect health. Rarely do we think that these helpful medications are harmful to our teeth and gums. Despite the care and attention that we pay to our oral health, some issues are sometimes inevitable, such as prescription medication and how they contribute to poor oral health. Medication can have detrimental effects on our oral health, especially for your children whose teeth are beginning to develop.
Medication Causes Teeth Browning
If you give your child antibiotics with tetracycline as a component, they will grow teeth with a yellowish or brownish color. If you take too much fluoride, a component used to purify water and make toothpaste, you are increasing the chances of developing discolored teeth. Young children also risk developing discolored teeth when they swallow too much fluoride in toothpaste when brushing.
Medication Can Reduce the Flow of Saliva
Many prescription medications reduce the flow of saliva in the mouth, which results in a condition called dry mouth. Some of these medications include antidepressants, medicines used to treat Parkinsons disease, inhalers, antihistamines, and decongestants, among others.
The absence of saliva in the mouth reduces the population of friendly bacteria in the mouth. It also increases acidity in the mouth, which increases the risk of you getting tooth decay. A dry mouth also means that acids will continually damage the tooth enamel without any saliva to initiate the process of consistent repairs. Finally, a limited flow of saliva means that food particles will remain attached to your teeth because there is nothing to wash these food particles from the tooth surface.
Key Takeaways
We all need medications to live to see another day. For example, if you are hypertensive, you must take medications to keep your blood pressure stable, without which you can get heart failure. However, you can prevent the effects of these medications on your oral health by checking out their labels and inserts.
At some point in your life, you have had to take prescription medication that restored you to perfect health. Rarely do we think that these helpful medications are harmful to our teeth and gums. Despite the care and attention that we pay to our oral health, some issues are sometimes inevitable, such as prescription medication and how they contribute to poor oral health. Medication can have detrimental effects on our oral health, especially for your children whose teeth are beginning to develop. 
