Drug-induced gingival hyperplasia
This article is a case report of a 60-year-old woman who was hypertensive and being treated with Calan SR (240 ma) for two days prior to her first appointment. Her diagnosis was periodontology type II. The patient had a gross scaling with an ultrasonic scaler, and root planing. Oral hygiene instructions were given and the patient resumed six months later at recall with a worsening condition. It was later discovered via Physician's Desk Reference that the Calan can cause gingival hyperplasia. The patient's physician changed her prescription to Monopril, and by six weeks she had returned to her previous state. This article demonstrates that differential diagnosis in gingival hyperplasia should include drug considerations. The differential diagnoses for gingival hyperplasia include plaque-induced hyperplasia, gingival enlargement resulting from mouth breathing, pregnancy, blood dyscrasias in tumor neoplasia, leukemia, and drug intake, namely cyclosporins, calcium channel blockers (incidence < 0.5%), and dilantin. [D.R.H.]
Margolin, R.E., H.S. Glazer, and M.F. Lesh, Gen Dent, 42:344, 1994