Association Between Anti-hypertensive Drugs and Root Caries Among Senior Patients Attending Cairo University Dental Educational Hospital : Analytical Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction and Scientific Background:

Root caries is a condition that commonly affects the senior population worldwide. It is a result of physiological gingival recession with aging that may be greatly exacerbated by poor oral hygiene. In Egypt, caries prevalence is estimated to be 60-70%. Respondents from multiple countries, including Egypt, reported that the elderly age group (i.e., >60 years old) is considered most susceptible to developing root caries.

Oral conditions like root caries are known to be caused by a number of systemic factors, one of which is hypertension. Hypertension is a long-term medical condition characterised by elevated blood pressure within the arteries. The national estimate for the prevalence of hypertension in Egypt's adult population is 26.3%, making it one of the highest in the world, according to the Egyptian National Hypertension Project (NHP).

When used as a treatment for hypertension, antihypertensive drugs can have a variety of adverse effects on the mouth, including xerostomia and abnormal salivary flow, which may lead to dental caries. Also, numerous negative alterations in the oral cavity can be linked to the impact on stimulated saliva. Although further investigation is necessary to fully comprehend the connection between antihypertensive medications and dental health, these results imply that using these drugs has an impact on oral health and necessitates maintaining proper oral hygiene.

Review of Literature: