[Clinical experience with the treatment of gingival hyperplasia induced by calcium channel blocking agents]

The prevalence of the nifedipine-induced gingival hyperplasia is ranging from 0.5-83% in the dental literature. The pathomechanism of the nifedipine-induced gingival hyperplasia is not clearly understood. Evaluating the dental history and the course of disease of 34 patients treated and followed up at the Department of Periodontology the following answers were raised: What sort of local and systemic factors are enhancing the recurrence of the gingival overgrowth and how this can be anticipated in patients on continuous Ca channel blocking medication. Eight out of the 34 patients participating in the clinical trial did not remember the onset of their gingival overgrowth. 10 cases developed three years and three cases after less then one year of the onset of the drug administrations. 27 out of the 34 cases required gingival surgery and seven showed good clinical improvement after the hygienic phase of the comprehensive periodontal treatment. 70% of the gingival hyperplasia cases presented no clinical sign of recurrence one year after the completion of the active phase of the treatment. A positive correlation was found between the oral hygiene and the recurrence rate of gingival overgrowth. Oral hygiene seems to play a decisive role in the development of gingival enlargement. The present findings and substantial evidences from the dental literature indicate that the gingival enlargement can be successfully controlled even under the continuous nifedipine administration by meticulous professional and individual oral hygiene.