title: Clinical evaluation of medications on oral and dental health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of medications on oral and dental health on a group of dental patients taking drugs regularly.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised two groups, the medication group included 328 dental patients regularly taking medication and the control group of 201 dental patients who took no medication. The patients were questioned about occurrence of self-reported oral dryness and were evaluated for the occurrence of any oral mucosal lesions, gingival recession, bleeding and enlargement, alveolar bone resorption, dental caries, any restorations and missing teeth were recorded. Data were statistically analysed with chi-square and Fisher's exact tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) between medication and control groups for oral mucosal lesions, gingival recession and enlargement but a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) was found between the groups for oral dryness and gingival bleeding. Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between the groups for dental caries, amalgam, fixed and removable prosthetic restorations and missing teeth.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There was a statistically significant difference for self-reported oral dryness and gingival bleeding and these factors may have been influenced by the increased rate of missing teeth and prosthetic restorations in the medication group.
authors.affiliation: Gazi University, Faculty of Dentistry, Department of Oral Diagnosis and Radiology, Ankara, Türkiye. drdtilkay@gmail.com
authors.forename: Ilkay
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Peker
authors.forename: Meryem Toraman
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Alkurt
authors.forename: Gülten
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Usalan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016301:Alveolar Bone Loss / Q000139:chemically induced; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000209:etiology; D017266:Dental Prosthesis / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003793:Dental Restoration, Permanent / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D005260:Female; D005882:Gingival Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006801:Humans; D017676:Lichen Planus, Oral / Q000139:chemically induced; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016388:Tooth Loss / Q000209:etiology; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications