Do drugs cause tooth decay?
In general only drugs that contain sugar that comes into prolonged contact with the teeth have the potential to cause tooth decay on their own. The type of drugs I am referring to here include sweetened liquid suspensions and chewable forms. Drugs in pill (or injectable) form do not directly cause decay. Unfortunately, some prescription and over-the-counter drugs can cause dry mouth. Drugs which are most likely to produce dry mouth are the older style antihistamines, and antidepressants, as well as diet drugs, blood pressure medications, decongestants and cancer treatment drugs. Patients with chronically dry mouths experience a shift in the normal balance of bacterial flora present in the mouth. The type of germs that come to predominate in patients with dry mouth are also the ones which produce the most acid when the patient eats sugar, so even normal amounts of sugar at mealtimes may cause serious decay. Unfortunately, chronic users of most illegal recreational drugs also suffer from
