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New Message Board Archives >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies 2004 >> Research - verapamil and gingivitis
(Message started by: floridian on Dec 22nd, 2004, 3:30pm) |
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Title: Research - verapamil and gingivitis
Post by floridian on Dec 22nd, 2004, 3:30pm
Nothing Earth-shaking, but this may be of interest to verapamil swilling clusterheads who wish to keep their teeth from falling out (assuming they haven't already). The upshot is that 4 cluster headache patients developed gum problems shortly after starting verapamil. In two of them, better oral hygeine was enough to reverse the gum disease, but the other two had to reduce their verap dose to get things right.
Quote:J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005 Jan;76(1):124-7.
Verapamil induced gingival enlargement in cluster headache.
Matharu MS, van Vliet JA, Ferrari MD, Goadsby PJ. Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London WC1N 3BG, UK. peterg@ion.ucl.ac.uk.
Verapamil is an effective prophylactic treatment for cluster headaches and, therefore, is widely used. This report describes four patients with cluster headache who developed gingival enlargement after initiating treatment with verapamil. In two patients, it was possible to control this side effect adequately by optimising oral hygiene and dental plaque control. In the other two patients, lowering of the verapamil dose, in addition to optimal oral hygiene and dental plaque control, was necessary; in one patient verapamil had to be stopped completely to reverse the gingival enlargement. Doctors treating cluster headache with verapamil need to be aware of this side effect, especially as it may be preventable with good dental hygiene and dental plaque control, is reversible with reduction or cessation of verapamil, and can lead to dental loss. |
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Some other research shows that verapamil can cause dental problems in non-clusterheads - here's one on gingival enlargement, I saw another on decalcification of the teeth.
Quote:J Can Dent Assoc. 1998 Apr;64(4):263-8.
Drug-induced gingival enlargements.
Desai P, Silver JG. College of Dental Surgeons, Vancouver, B.C. pnvdesai@mail.ocis.net
There are many types of gingival enlargements which vary according to the etiologic factors and pathologic processes that produce them. The most common drug-induced gingival enlargement is associated with Dilantin (phenytoin). Cyclosporin and calcium channel blockers, which are increasingly used for some cardiac diseases, immunosuppression and autoimmune disorders, also cause gingival enlargement. The term "gingival hyperplasia" is an inappropriate term because enlargement is not the result of an increase in the number of cells, but rather an increase in extracellular tissue volume. This paper presents a detailed description of various drug-induced gingival enlargements, including the clinical appearance, microscopic presentation, pathogenic mechanisms and treatment options. |
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