Are there dietary-supplement interactions with medications commonly used in dentistry?
This snapshot is adapted from the article by Drs. Mark Donaldson and Riva Touger-Decker published in the Journal of the American Dental Association: Dietary supplement interactions with medications used commonly in dentistry
Dr. Mark Donaldson is Director of Pharmaceutical Services at the Kalispell Regional Medical Center, is Clinical Professor in the Department of Pharmacy at the University of Montana, and is Clinical Associate professor in the School of Dentistry at the Oregon Health and Sciences University
Dr. Riva Touger-Decker is Chair of the Nutrition Sciences Department and Professor in the Diagnostic Sciences, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine
Context
Because nearly 70% of prescription drug users do not discuss their dietary supplement use with their health care providers, clinicians must be proactive on questioning patients about their use of these agents. A complete and accurate pharmacological history will help clinicians avoid potential interactions between dietary supplements and drugs.
Conclusions
Provided that patients re not taking ginko, St. John’s wort, evening primrose or valerian, oral health care providers can prescribe or administer any of the medications used commonly in dentistry without concern about possible dietary supplement-drug interactions.
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We have received the following question from a general dentist:
“How do those few exceptions that you listed e.g. St Johns Wort etc. interact with what we would use in dentistry?”
The table below summarizes the findings of the same article