Botulinum Toxin Type A
For the general dentist, the use of botulinum toxin type A (BTA) confers the ability to exert control over the soft tissues surrounding the mouth to better create a harmonious…
Updates of Topical and Local Anesthesia Agents
As described in this article, there are many advances in topical and local anesthesia. Topical and local anesthetics have played a great role in dentistry in alleviating the fears of…
Hyposalivation and Xerostomia
Saliva is one of the most versatile, multifunctional substances produced by the body and has a critical role in the preservation of the oropharyngeal health. It comprises a serous and…
Medication for Gravid and Nursing Dental Patients
The topics the authors address in this article are in many ways both broad and narrow. The broadness of this topic is clear when one considers the intersection of 2…
Medications to Assist in Tobacco Cessation for Dental Patients
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable illness in the United States. Without assistance, only 3% to 6% of smokers successfully quit after 1 year. Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), buproprion, and…
Antimicrobial Therapy in Management of Odontogenic Infections in General Dentistry
This article focuses on the diagnosis and management of odontogenic infections. Current antibiotic regimens are reviewed and discussed including use of alternative antibiotics with patients known to have a penicillin…
Medication Management of Jaw Lesions for Dental Patients
Most pathologic lesions of the jaws or of oral mucosa are treated successfully by surgical interventions. For treatment of the central giant cell lesion, aneurysmal bone cysts, histiocytosis of the…
Current Concepts of Prophylactic Antibiotics for Dental Patients
Despite numerous guidelines, joint interprofessional collaboration, and years of data collection, the use of antibiotic prophylaxis before dental procedures remains controversial. There continues to be disagreement on indications, justification, and…
The Pharmacologic Management of Common Lesions of the Oral Cavity
The oral ulcerations caused by aphtous lesions, herpetic lesions, candidiasis, ulcerative lichen planus, mucous membrane pemphigoid, and pemphigus vulgaris are managed in a step-up approach that can involve topical, intarlesional,…
Pharmacologic Treatment for Temporomandibular Disorders
Pharmacologic agents play an integral role in the overall management of temporomandibular joint disorder. The general dentist should be familiar with the different classes of drugs currently in use for…
Orofacial Pain
Pain is a universal experience with profound effects on the physiology, psychology, and sociology of the population. Orofacial pain (OFP) conditions are especially prevalent and can be severely debilitating to…
Review of Top 10 Prescribed Drugs and Their Interaction with Dental Treatment
The proportion of people over age 60 is growing faster than any other group. Many patients take several medications to manage multiple chronic medical conditions. Poor oral health is common…
Conscious Intravenous Sedation in Dentistry
Several sedation options are used to minimize pain, anxiety, and discomfort during oral surgery procedures. Minimizing or eliminating pain and anxiety for dental care is the primary goal for conscious…
Update on Analgesic Medication for Adult and Pediatric Dental Patients
This article is an update on pain management in the dental care setting for adult and pediatric patients. The 3 main categories of analgesic medications are examined: (1) opioids, (2)…
Oral Sedation in the Dental Office
This article highlights the commonly used medications used in dentistry and oral surgery. General dentists and specialists must be knowledgeable about the pharmacology of the drugs currently available along with…
Emergency Drugs for the Dental Office
Any dental office can face a variety of medical emergencies; therefore, the health care professional and the staff should always be prepared to deal with these emergencies in their office….
Clinical Pharmacology for Dentists
Harry Dym, DDS, Editor The scope and practice of dentistry in the United States have evolved significantly from its origins as an independent health profession (alongside medicine) in the mid-1800s….
