BUFFALO, New York: According to a recent study at the University at Buffalo, New York, heartburn medication has been associated with decreased severity of gum disease.
Bhavneet K. Chawla, lead author of the research, and colleagues conducted a study to determine whether a relationship exists between Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) and gum disease. PPIs have been a class of drugs commonly prescribed to treat heartburn, ulcers and acid reflux.
The researchers analysed clinical data from more than 1,000 periodontitis patients who had either using or not using PPIs. They used probing depths to indicate the severity of periodontitis.
Results showed that 14 per cent of teeth were associated with greater than 6 mm probing depths among PPI users, in contrast to 24 per cent for patients not using PPIs. Similarly, 27 per cent of teeth exhibited greater than 5 mm probing depths among PPI users in opposition to 40 per cent for non-PPI users.
The results concluded that patients who used proton pump inhibitors were more likely to have smaller probing depths in the gums (the gap between teeth and gums).
However, the researchers speculated that PPIs' ability to modify bone metabolism or the gut microbiome potentially impact periodontal microorganisms, which might help lessen the severity of gum disease.
The research "Association between proton pump inhibitors and periodontal disease severity" has recently been published in the Clinical and Experimental Dental Research journal.
