Osteoporosis Drug Linked With Jaw Disease
A report in the January edition of the Journal of the American Dental Association has suggested that there may be link between a common treatment for osteoporosis and the development of jaw necrosis.
Osteoporosis is a condition that affects bone structure, and sufferers of the disease are at an increased risk of broken bones. It is a very common condition, and one of the main treatments is a group of drugs known as oral bisphosphonates.
It has previously been recognised that people who take bisphosphonates via injection might be at higher risk of a problem known as “osteonecrosis of the jaw”. However, as the treatment for osteoporosis is taken by mouth, this was not previously thought to be a problem. The findings of this new study have now suggested that even when taken orally, bisphosphonates could still lead to the same problem.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a process where the bones that form the skeleton of the jaw can die, and this can lead to devastating effects on the structure of the face, as well as more general health problems. It is thought that people who have dental surgery whilst on oral bisphosphonates could be at particular risk, especially if the surgery exposes the jaw bone.
Until now, patients who have been prescribed the drugs have never been warned of the potential dental health risks, because they were thought to be negligible. However, this latest research found that 4% of the patients involved who were on an oral bisphosphonate tablet known as “Fosomax” suffered from jaw necrosis. The properties of the drug would indicate that even a patient who takes it for a short time may well be at an increased risk of this problem.
It is now hoped that further research will be done in this area to establish exactly what the risks are for patients who take this treatment.
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