Medication-Related Damage to Soft and Hard Dental Structures

Course overview

The purpose of this basic-level course is to prepare dentists, dental hygienists, and dental assistants to identify these medication-related adverse effects and treat or assist in treating them. This course begins by presenting conditions involving damage to the hard dental structures caused by fluoride, anticonvulsants, chemotherapeutics, and medications such as bisphosphonates that are associated with osteonecrosis of the jaw. Tooth discoloration is also discussed. Damage to oral soft tissues is then reviewed. Color changes to the oral mucosa, including mucosal pigmentation and black hairy tongue, are described. Drug-related gingival enlargement and other mucosal disorders, oral allergic reactions, drug-related white lesions, and conditions of the salivary glands are examined.