Adverse Effects of Inhalational Corticosteroids in Oral Cavity: Role of Attending Physician and Periodontist

Inhaled corticosteroids forms the corner stone of treatment in air flow obstructive disorders such as asthma, small airway disease and even COPD. Asthma is a serious global health problem that usually starts in childhood and many a times, the patient has to take inhaled therapy lifelong. On the contrary, COPD usually starts in later years and many patients with severe airway obstruction have to take high dose of inhaled therapy for long duration. Use of high dosage and for long duration of inhalational corticosteroid therapy being the mainstay treatment along with other medicines, is likely to exhibit several adverse effects on the oral tissues. Since the major proportion of the inhaled drug is retained in the oral cavity and oropharynx, it is likely to interfere in the normal physiology of oral tissues. This article will review the influence of inhaled corticosteroids on the oral health including gingiva and teeth. It is suggested that timely interaction between periodontist and attending physician can improve safety profile of the patient.