Major depression and oral health: Role of antidepressants medications Depresión mayor y salud oral: Rol de los fármacos antidepresivos

Abstract

Many antidepressants drugs, like others drugs used to treat the disease, have a hyposalivation properties. The diminished salivary flow is the cause of several soft and hard oral tissues alterations. Hyposalivation results in an increasing risk for dental decay, may also be responsible for a increased incidence of monilial infections, and intensification, in some degree, of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Occasionally, some of these oral infections may be compromising seriously the general health. In addition, these diseases may get worst by the loss of the oral hygiene habits due to the mood disturbance. Due to the more risk to development of oral pathology in patients with hyposialia, and its possible wrong effects in the systemic health, as likewise in the impaired mood of this patients, is important to decrease the incidence of these oral diseases in depressive patients, principally in those patients treated with hyposalivants phsycopharmacs. © 2006 Sociedad de Neurolog Psiquia