Brochure Discusses Osteoporosis Drugs' Effect on Jawbone

Older dental patients should not stop taking osteoporosis medications over fear of developing a rare condition in which portions of the jawbone die, a new public-information brochure says. Fear has been rising recently over the fact that some patients who have taken bisphosphonates , a group of drugs that work to reverse osteoporosis, a condition of low bone density, have developed bisphosphonate-associated osteonecrosis of the jaw. The malady, in which the bone of the jaw necrotizes , or dies, is rare but serious, and can badly damage the jawbone. It’s diagnosed in patients who have an area of exposed bone in the jaw that lasts for at least eight weeks, who have no history of head or neck radiation therapy and who are taking, now or in the past, a bisphosphonate drug.

Medical researchers haven’t investigated to what extent taking bisphosphonates causes osteonecrosis of the jaw, but they agree the link is probably tenuous. In fact, 94 percent of those with osteonecrosis of the jaw also have cancer and are receiving or have received regular high doses of bisphosphonates intravenously. The other 6 percent with osteonecrosis of the jaw took oral bisphosphonates.

“Patients who take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis are encouraged to talk to their dentist so that their dentist can show them good oral hygiene practices as well as monitor their oral health,” says Matthew Messina, an Ohio dentist who is also the American Dental Association’s consumer adviser. “Patients should not stop taking their osteoporosis medications without speaking with their physicians.”

In fact, according to the American Dental Association, osteoporosis medications have many more benefits than the tiny risks associated with developing osteonecrosis of the jaw. The purpose of bisphosphonates is to build bone mass to prevent broken bones in those who suffer from osteoporosis, which causes 2 million fractures a year, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. It’s estimated that 50 percent of women and 20 percent of men older than 50 will suffer an osteoporosis-caused fracture.

The most common bisphosphonate drugs are alendronate (Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), risedonate (Actone) and zoledronic acid (Reclast).

Disclaimer

To add comments please login to empowereddoctor.com

Brochure Discusses Osteoporosis Drugs' Effect on Jawbone

Related Stories

Featured Doctors

Knee Replacement Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Total Knee Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Knee Replacement Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Knee Pain Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Orthopedic Surgery Sleepy Hollow, Mount Pleasant

Call: (888) 729-2857

Total Shoulder Arthroplasty Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Pain Treatment New Jersey

Call: 888-895-3840

Labral Repair Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Cartilage Regeneration Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Shoulder Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Shoulder Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Knee Pain Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Partial Knee Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Orthopedic Surgery Sleepy Hollow, Mount Pleasant

Call: (888) 729-2857

Knee Surgery Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

AC Joint Separation / ACL Reconstruction Manhattan, NYC

Call: 888-687-9022

Call: 888-999-9735

Knee Pain/Knee Surgery Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Hip Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Labral Repair Surgery New Rochelle, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Shoulder Separation / Shoulder Resurfacing Manhattan, NYC

Call: 888-687-9022

Knee Surgery Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Total Knee Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Hip Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Knee Pain/Knee Surgery Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Partial Knee Replacement Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Orthopedic Specialist Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Cartilage Regeneration Westchester, New York

Call: (888) 729-2857

Orthopedics

Call: 888-798-5181

Shoulder Replacement Paramus, Bergen County NJ

Call: (888) 631-1911

Columbia Orthopaedics Manhattan

Call: 888-687-9022

Orthopedic Specialist Westchester, NY

Call: (888) 729-2857

Specialities