Systemic Medication- It’s Effects on Oral Health

Present days, the life expectancy has increased because of increased awareness about self care and improved medical facilities including use of various medications for prophylaxis and treatment purpose. Medications benefit our general health but they also carry some adverse effects and can be harmful to oral health also. This can vary from single hyper pigmented spot to marked destruction of both soft and hard tissue in oral cavity. As uses of various medications are unavoidable these days their adverse effects on oral environment are very common and often un/underdiagnosed or less cared by patient and the treating person. These events will likely increase as newer medicines are getting approved for various therapeutic and prophylactic indications and on the other hand various drugs are used non judicially. Health care providers should familiarise themselves with such adverse events of various medicines in the oral cavity. This article reviews the role of drugs as causal factors in oral health, diseases and disorders.