People with Asthma, Epilepsy May Have More Decay
November 3, 2009

By Nancy Volkers
InteliHealth News Service

INTELIHEALTH - People with asthma or epilepsy are more likely to have tooth decay, missing or filled teeth, a study has found. It's not clear whether the risk is from the diseases themselves or the treatments used to control them.

Researchers looked at medical and dental histories of 318 adults. All visited the same dental school at the University of Pittsburgh. The researchers found that people with asthma were more likely to have more decayed, missing or filled teeth than people without asthma. They also found that people with epilepsy had more decayed, missing or filled teeth than people without epilepsy.

Some medications for asthma, such as inhalers, can cause a dry mouth. This increases the risk of tooth decay. Doctors recommend rinsing the mouth with water after each use of an inhaler.

People with epilepsy may lose teeth because of seizure-related injuries. Certain epilepsy drugs can cause the gums to overgrow. This can increase the risks of tooth decay and gum disease.

Dentists suggest more frequent check-ups for patients who are at higher risk of dental disease because of their health condition. Patients with asthma or epilepsy should visit their dentist at least twice a year.

The study appears in the October issue of the European Journal of Dentistry.