Depressed patients at risk of xerostomia

Patients taking antidepressant medication may be at increased risk of suffering dental problems, say US researchers.
The authors of the study looked at patients undergoing dental treatment and found that, of 1,800 records, 21% of patients were being treated with antidepressant medication. Over half of the subjects taking antidepressants were in danger of developing condition known as xerostomia, or dryness of the mouth, which can lead to tooth decay, gum disease, halitosis and other oral health problems.

‘It is important for dentists to be knowledgeable about medications that increase the risk of xerostomia and the need for an intensive preventive dentistry programme,’ say the study’s authors......