Scientists have named drugs that can cause tooth defects in children 16:11

Scientists from the University of Sao Paulo found that the use of antipyretic drugs in children can lead to defects in tooth enamel. The research was published in the journal scientific reports.

The years of life of a child, in which defects in tooth enamel are formed, are accompanied by frequent diseases with high fever. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as celecoxib and indomethacin are often used as antipyretics. They lower prostaglandin and cyclooxygenase levels leading to relief from fever and inflammation. However, these substances are also necessary for the formation of healthy tooth enamel, so scientists wondered if antipyretics interfere with the normal development of tooth enamel.

The researchers used mice because these animals constantly grow incisors. Animals were treated with celecoxib and indomethacin for 28 days. Their teeth didn’t look any different from healthy ones, but the researchers found that when the rats began removing their incisors, their teeth broke more often than usual.

Chemical analysis showed that the mineralization of the teeth was disturbed: the enamel contained insufficient calcium and phosphate. The researchers confirmed that these changes were related to the action of the drugs: they disrupted the proteins responsible for making enamel.

The scientists’ results have not yet been tested in humans. If confirmed, perhaps recommendations for reducing fever in children will be reviewed. Previously, the antibiotic tetracycline was on the not recommended list for children because it causes discoloration of the teeth.

Enamel defects occur in approximately 20% of children worldwide, and dentists have noted a sharp increase in the number of children suffering from enamel hypomineralization. Studies have shown that in the future these children may have to replace their dental restorations ten times more often than today’s adults.