One of the top concerns in healthcare is the interactions and side effects of medications. Drugs taken for separate conditions can interact with each other or have an effect on some other aspect of health. It's important then that all your health providers know the various medications you are taking, along with other lifestyle habits. That includes your dental team.

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs) are one type of medication that can have an effect on your oral health. CCBs are used primarily to control hypertension (high blood pressure), and to treat other cardiovascular conditions like angina or abnormal heart rhythm. They work by dilating blood vessels, which makes it easier for the heart to pump.

CCBs are now recognized as a contributing factor in the development of a condition known as gingival hyperplasia in which the gum tissues “overgrow,” extending in some cases abnormally over the teeth. This abnormal growth can be painful and uncomfortable, and can make oral hygiene more difficult to perform. The overgrowth of tissue can also be socially embarrassing.

There's also a secondary factor that can increase the risk for tissue overgrowth in patients taking a CCB — poor oral hygiene. In the absence of a good hygiene routine, a layer of bacterial plaque known as biofilm can build up on tooth surfaces and lead to various forms of gum disease, including hyperplasia. The overgrown tissue contributes in turn to this disease process by inhibiting effective oral hygiene.

If you've already developed gingival hyperplasia or some other form of gum disease, it's important for you to receive periodontal treatment for the disease as soon as possible. Once we have the condition under control, it's then a matter of regular dental checkups and cleanings to reduce the risk of disease, including gingival hyperplasia. We can also help you develop effective hygiene practices that inhibit this condition while you are taking a CCB.

If you would like more information on the effects of medication on oral health, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Blood Pressure Medications.”

If you were a well-known actor, how far would you go to get inside the character you’re playing in a movie? Plenty of stars have gained or lost weight to fit the role; some have tried to relate to their character by giving up creature comforts, going through boot camp, even trying out another occupation for a time. But when Jamie Foxx played a homeless musician in the 2009 film The Soloist, he went even further: He had part of his front tooth chipped out!

“My teeth are just so big and white — a homeless person would never have them,” he told an interviewer. “I just wanted to come up with something to make the part unique. I had one [tooth] chipped out with a chisel.”

Now, even if you’re trying to be a successful actor, we’re not suggesting you have your teeth chipped intentionally. However, if you have a tooth that has been chipped accidentally, we want you to know that we can repair it beautifully. One way to do that is with cosmetic bonding.

Bonding uses tooth-colored materials called “composite resins” (because they contain a mixture of plastic and glass) to replace missing tooth structure. The composite actually bonds, or becomes one, with the rest of the tooth.

Composite resins come in a variety of lifelike tooth shades, making it virtually impossible to distinguish the bonded tooth from its neighbors. Though bonding will not last as long as a dental veneer, it also does not require the involvement of a dental laboratory and, most often, can be done with minor reshaping of the tooth.

Cosmetic Bonding for Chipped Teeth
A chipped tooth can usually be bonded in a single visit to the dental office. First, the surface of the tooth may be beveled slightly with a drill, and then it is cleaned. Next, it is “etched” with an acidic gel that opens up tiny pores. After the etching gel is rinsed off, the liquid composite resin in a well-matched shade is painted on in a thin layer, filling these tiny pores to create a strong bond. A special curing light is used to harden this bonding material. Once the first layer is cured, another layer is painted on and cured. Layers can continue to be built up until the restoration has the necessary thickness. The bonding material is then shaped and polished. The whole procedure takes only about 30 minutes!

If you have questions about cosmetic bonding, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more by reading the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Repairing Chipped Teeth” and “Artistic Repair of Chipped Teeth With Composite Resin.”