Tooth decay and antibiotics

Dentists daily hear from parents, "My child's teeth have rotted because he/she was on antibiotics as a baby...", or, "The dentist said his/her teeth decayed because of longterm use of antibiotics as a baby...".

Both statements are incorrect and a myth, but are welcome explanations parents use to avoid feelings of guilt for what is actually neglect.

Several studies have been done on the influence of antibiotics and paediatric medication on teeth and all the studies showed that antibiotics are not a significant cause of tooth decay. Only the lack of proper oral hygiene is.

Superficial discolouration or staining of the teeth due to the use of antibiotics has rarely been reported, particularly if an oral suspension is used. This discolouration can usually be removed by careful brushing or professional cleaning.

Intrinsic, permanent discolouration is well known to occur with the use of tetracycline antibiotics - and only if taken during tooth development. This is as a result of tetracycline binding to calcium and depositing in developing teeth and bones. It can also be passed on to the baby during breast feeding.

A study has been done on the effect of amoxicillin on developing teeth and found that the most common problem was fluorosis (small white staining) of the tooth enamel. It was found that kids who regularly took amoxicillin between the ages of 3 and 6 months were twice as likely to $$ ' "* have fluorosis (Liang Hong et. al)

Paediatric medication (other than antibiotics) may cause a dry mouth, which can increase the risk of tooth decay and gum disease. Saliva helps to clear away food particles and neutralises acids that can cause decay. It also helps to control bacteria in the mouth. Medication like decongestants and antihistamines (Archives of Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine) can also cause tooth decay if the mouth is not rinsed or brushed after taking it.

Teeth decay because of one reason only: poor or insufficient oral hygiene.

Deciduous (baby) teeth differ in many ways from permanent (adult) teeth, but the most important difference is that the enamel is very thin compared to adult teeth.

Once the enamel surface (covering the dentine inside) is damaged, it results in rapid decay.

Most of the time decay starts between the baby molars where it is difficult for the parents to see. It only becomes clear once the cavity is large enough to detect, which is sometimes too late to repair.

That is why regular visits to the dentist is so important.

This article is for informative purposes only. Please see your doctor or dentist if you experience any symptoms.

Questions can be forwarded to questions@walkindoctor.co.za.

Walk in Doctor / Walk in Dentist 0861 943 943.

~ $

+; $ ^ > # " ? = $ $ $ $ " ? % $ " " $ " }  { $ $ ~ ' " $ $ "$ $ $ $ ; $ $' '