General practitioner Rutger Verhoeff answers readers’ questions
General practitioner Rutger Verhoeff answers readers’ questions. This time: is it possible that certain medications are making me more prone to tartar?
I visit the dental hygienist three times a year for checkups and tartar removal. Is it possible that certain medications make me more prone to tartar?
I’m not a dentist, but I do know that medicines that cause dry mouth as a side effect can indirectly cause more tartar. This can apply to blood pressure lowers, sleeping pills and antidepressants, read the package inserts carefully. Sufficient saliva reduces the risk of cavities because it washes away food residues, as it were. With insufficient saliva, plaque builds up more quickly, which eventually turns into tartar.
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Rutger Verhoeff (1979) studied general medicine at Radboud University in Nijmegen. Besides practicing his profession, he worked on radio and TV programs, he wrote the books Don’t let it ruin you, Kiss on it and (together with chef Ramon Beuk) Lekker better. He also writes columns and vlogs.
This question was previously in +Gezond June 2022. Want to subscribe to the magazine? You can do that in an instant!
Sources):
- Plus Healthy
