B. John Rozar Raj, N.D. Jayakumar, Nivedhitha. M.S. Prevalence And Distribution Of Drug-Induced Gingival Enlargement In Urban Population - A Retrospective Cohort Study. Int J Dentistry
Oral Sci. 2021;8(1):1475-1479
1475
OPEN ACCESS https://scidoc.org/IJDOS.php
Prevalence And Distribution Of Drug-Induced Gingival Enlargement In Urban Population -
A Retrospective Cohort Study
Research Article
B. John Rozar Raj
1
, N.D. Jayakumar
2*
, Nivedhitha. M.S
3
1
Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University Chennai, India.
2
Professor and Dean of Faculty, Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sci-
ences, Saveetha University Chennai, India.
3
Professor and Head of Academics, Department of Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Insti-
tute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University Chennai, India.
International Journal of Dentistry and Oral Science (IJDOS)
ISSN: 2377-8075
*Corresponding Author:
N.D. Jayakumar,
Professor and Dean of Faculty, Department of Periodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Science, Saveetha University, 162,
PH Road, Chennai 600077, India.
Tel: 944407193
E-mail: jayakumarnd@saveetha.com
Received: January 12, 2021
Accepted: January 22, 2021
Published: January 29, 2021
Citation: B. John Rozar Raj, N.D. Jayakumar, Nivedhitha. M.S. Prevalence And Distribution Of Drug-Induced Gingival Enlargement In Urban Population - A Retrospective Cohort
Study. Int J Dentistry Oral Sci. 2021;8(1):1475-1479. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.19070/2377-8075-21000294
Copyright: N.D. Jayakumar
©
2021. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, dis-
tribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Introduction
Gingival enlargement is an overgrowth or increase in size of the
gingiva. It is the preferred term for all medication-related gingival
lesions. Previously termed as gingival hyperplasia or gingival hy-
pertrophy. Several causes of gingival enlargement are known and
the most recognised is drug-induced gingival enlargement and it
remains as a signifcant problem for the dentists and the peri-
odontist.
An increasing number of medications are associated with gingival
overgrowth. Currently, more than 20 prescription medications are
associated with gingival enlargement [9]. Drugs associated with
gingival overgrowth can be broadly divided into three categories:
Anticonvulsant, calcium channel blockers and immunosuppres-
sant.
Although the pharmacological effect of each of these drugs is
different and directed towards various primary target tissues, all
of them seem to act similarly on a secondary target tissue, that is,
the gingival connective tissue causing common clinical and histo-
pathological fndings.
Clinical manifestations frequently appear within one to three
months, after initiation of treatment with the associated medi-
cations. Gingival overgrowth normally begins at the interdental
papillae and is more frequently found in the anterior segment of
the labial surface. Gradually, gingival lobulations are formed that
may appear infamed or fbrotic in nature depending on the de-
gree of local factor-induced infammations. The fbrotic enlarge-
Abstract
Drug-Induced gingival overgrowth is a well-recognised adverse effect of certain systemic medications. Calcium channel block-
ers, anticonvulsants and immunosuppressants are frequently implicated drugs in the aetiology of drug-induced gingival en-
largement. The aim of the present study was to assess the prevalence and distribution of drug induced gingival enlargement
in the patient population. Data were collected from the clinical record regarding, drug history and gingival enlargement.. Data
were analysed to fnd out whether there was any signifcant difference in the prevalence of drug induced gingival enlarge-
ment with respect to different age groups, gender and the type of medication, using Chi-square test (SPSS software). There
was a statistical signifcant difference in the prevalence rate of drug induced gingival enlargement in the age group < 30 years
(p value-0.03). There was no statistical signifcant difference in the prevalence rate, between male and female patients (p
value-0.37). There was a statistically signifcant difference in the prevalence rate among different medications (p value- 0.01).
Prevalence rate of drug induced gingival enlargement was higher in patients under medication of phenytoin as compared to
amlodipine and other drugs.
Keywords: Amlodipine; Cyclosporine; Drug-Induced; Gingival Enlargement; Nifedipine; Phenytoin.