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When children take medicine, can it be harmful to their teeth? Certain
medicines, including those sold over the counter, may be harmful to children's
teeth, especially if the medicines are taken over a long period of time. Medicines
that contain sugar (for example, liquid antibiotics, vitamins, gummy tablets,
lollipop medicines, cough drops, cough syrups, and asthma syrups) may coat
or stick to the teeth, which can lead to tooth decay. Pills designed to dissolve
in the mouth may also contain sugar or release other erosive agents that promote
tooth decay. Other medicines, such as antihistamines or asthma inhalants, reduce
saliva production and cause dry mouth, which increases a person's risk for
tooth decay. Saliva is important to oral health because it contains antibacterial
properties, lubricates tissues in the mouth, and removes food debris from the
mouth. When a medicine is prescribed for a child, it is important to ask the
physician, nurse, or pharmacist about possible side effects and what can be
done to prevent or reduce such side effects. Parents should ask the physician,
nurse, or pharmacist to provide sugar-free alternatives, if any are available.
Parents should provide all health professionals with information about a child's
chronic health condition. This ensures that health professionals are aware
of factors that could influence health decision-making. Children who have chronic
health conditions should have close oral health supervision. Furthermore, while
evidence is mixed as to whether inhaled medicines are a risk factor for tooth
decay in children, children with asthma should have more frequent oral health
supervision.
To lower the risk for tooth decay, the following
measures should be taken:
• Be sure that parents understand
and follow prescribed and labeled directions for all medicines.
• Have
the child take medicine with meals or snacks (if the medicine may be taken
with food).
• Brush the child's teeth after the child takes
medicine.
• Have the child take frequent sips of water
throughout the day.
Performance Standards
1304.20(c)(1)
1304.20(c)(2)
1304.20(c)(3)(ii)
References
American Dental Association. 2005. For the dental patient. How medications
can affect your oral health. Journal of the American Dental Association 136(6):831.
Meldrum
AM, Thomson WM, Drummond BK, Sears MR. 2001. Is asthma a risk factor for
dental caries? Findings from a cohort study. Caries Research 35(4):235-239.
Milano
M, Lee JY, Donovan K, Chen JW. 2006. A cross-sectional study of medication-related
factors and caries experience in asthmatic children. Pediatric
Dentistry 28(5):415-419.
Reddy
DK, Hegde AM, Munshi AK. 2003. Dental caries status of children with
bronchial asthma. Journal of Clinical Pediatric Dentistry 27(3):293-295.
Shulman
JD, Taylor SE, Nunn ME. 2001. The association between asthma and dental
caries in children and adolescents: A population-based case-control study. Caries
Research 35(4):240-246.
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