Link Between Cavities and Asthma?

For years, there has been a suspected link between asthma and cavities or tooth decay. Dr. Gerardo Maupomé, a professor of preventive and community dentistry at the Indiana University School of Dentistry, said the idea of a connection likely stems from emergency room reports from workers who see children with poorly managed asthma, but there are other contributing factors to tooth decay in children other than asthma medications.

Asthmatics are more likely to suffer from dry mouth because they may breathe through their mouth due to restricted air flow; medications in inhalers can also dry out the mouth further. This can be an issue because harmful, plaque-causing bacteria are less likely to be washed away, causing the likelihood of developing bad breath, tooth decay, and gum disease to increase. However, this doesn’t strictly correlate with asthmatics.

“We found little evidence to suggest that asthma causes tooth decay,” said Dr. Maupomé, also a Regenstrief Institute affiliated scientist. “In fact, the two largest studies we reviewed found that children with asthma appear to have fewer cavities than others. This may be because their parents are used to taking them to health care providers and routinely bring them to the dentist.” Tooth decay and asthma are prevalent in most children, but one hasn’t been shown to cause the other.

Routine visits to a child’s dentist should be a priority. Parents of children with asthma should not be concerned with an increased risk of tooth decay, but they should be aware of what is in their medication. For example, children who use nebulizers to control asthma may increase their exposure to sugars or fructose. Depending on the frequency and amount, this can lead to cavities or tooth decay.

Inhalers can also irritate the back roof of the mouth. To protect teeth and gums, children should make sure to rinse their mouth with water after using their inhaler. It’s better if they brushed their teeth afterward to avoid leaving anything behind. Drinking water throughout the day can also counteract the effects of dry mouth, and cutting back on sugary foods and drinks lowers the chance of developing cavities.

While cavities and dry mouth are associated with asthma, they can also be found in children without asthma. The only frequent concern with asthma medications is the reduced amount of saliva caused by inhalers. If you talk to your dentist and remain on top of your dental hygiene, you should remain cavity free.

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