Risks for oral health with the use of antidepressants

In this article, attention is focused on oral pathology, particularly dental caries, caused by hyposalivation as a consequence of (long-term) use of antidepressants. Changes in clinical psychiatric practice and increasing numbers of prescriptions of antidepressants in primary care and specialty care settings have made awareness of this risk even more relevant than in the past. Normal physiology of salivary glands and changes in the secretion of saliva during use of antidepressants are described. Monitoring, prevention, and treatment of hyposalivation induced by antidepressants are encouraged as an adjunct in the clinical management of depression.