Endocrine Drugs of Significance in Dentistry

Endocrine drugs represent both an important tool in dental pharmacotherapy and important factors in the safe and effective management of patients with specific endocrine disorders, such as diabetes mellitus. Because medical therapy with hormonal agents is generally long term, the dentist must recognize the reason(s) for the therapy, the impact of the therapy on the oral cavity, and the potential modifications in dental drug therapy required by the hormonal treatment. This chapter focuses on the hormones and hormonal therapies most frequently encountered in dental practice and those that indicate the presence of serious systemic diseases, which are likely to alter the dental management strategies for the patient. The reader is advised to consult standard pharmacology and endocrinology references for complete information on the wide variety of endocrine disorders and their management.