How your medications can affect dental care.

GLP-1 receptor agonist

Ozempic (semaglutide) is a GLP-1 receptor agonist used for type 2 diabetes and weight management.

Calcium channel blocker

Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain.

CNS stimulant

Adderall is a stimulant used for ADHD and narcolepsy that increases dopamine and norepinephrine.

SSRI antidepressant

Sertraline (Zoloft) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used for depression, anxiety, and OCD.

Vitamin K antagonist anticoagulant

Warfarin is an anticoagulant used to prevent and treat blood clots in patients with atrial fibrillation, prior stroke, or DVT.

Biguanide

Metformin is the most commonly prescribed medication for type 2 diabetes and is also used for prediabetes and PCOS.

ACE inhibitor

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor and one of the most commonly prescribed medications in the US for high blood pressure and heart failure.

CNS stimulant

Vyvanse is a long-acting stimulant prodrug used for ADHD and binge eating disorder.

Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)

Eliquis is a direct oral anticoagulant used to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation and to treat or prevent DVT and pulmonary embolism.

Corticosteroid

Prednisone is a corticosteroid used to suppress inflammation and immune response in conditions like autoimmune disease, asthma flares, and organ transplant.

Bisphosphonate

Alendronate is a bisphosphonate used to treat and prevent osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women and patients on long-term steroids.

HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)

Atorvastatin is one of the most prescribed medications in the world, used to lower LDL cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk.

Inhaled corticosteroid

Fluticasone is an inhaled corticosteroid used to control asthma, COPD, and allergic rhinitis.

Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor

Bupropion is an atypical antidepressant also used for ADHD, smoking cessation, and to mitigate SSRI sexual side effects.

Antifolate / DMARD

Methotrexate is used at low doses for autoimmune conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis, and at higher doses for certain cancers.

Calcium channel blocker

Nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker used for high blood pressure and angina, including some forms used in pregnancy.

Combined hormonal contraceptive

Combined oral contraceptives use estrogen and a progestin to prevent pregnancy and are also used for cycle regulation, acne, and PMS.

Gabapentinoid anticonvulsant

Gabapentin is used for nerve pain, post-shingles neuralgia, seizures, and off-label for anxiety and sleep.

Beta-1 selective blocker

Metoprolol is a beta blocker used for high blood pressure, angina, heart failure, and rhythm disorders.

Thyroid hormone replacement

Levothyroxine is the most prescribed medication in the US, used to treat hypothyroidism by replacing the thyroid hormone the body cannot produce in adequate amounts.

First-generation H1 antihistamine

Diphenhydramine is a first-generation antihistamine used for allergies, motion sickness, and over-the-counter sleep aids.

Second-generation H1 antihistamine

Cetirizine is a second-generation antihistamine used for year-round and seasonal allergies, less sedating than diphenhydramine.

Short-acting beta-2 agonist

Albuterol is a short-acting bronchodilator used as a rescue inhaler for asthma and as a maintenance medication for COPD.

Tetracycline antibiotic

Doxycycline is a tetracycline antibiotic used for acne, rosacea, respiratory infections, and tick-borne illness.

Penicillin antibiotic

Amoxicillin is the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in dentistry, used for dental infections, sinus infections, strep throat, and many other bacterial infections.

GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist

Mounjaro (tirzepatide) is a dual GLP-1 and GIP receptor agonist used for type 2 diabetes and weight management. Zepbound is the same drug branded for weight loss.

SGLT-2 inhibitor

Jardiance is an SGLT-2 inhibitor used for type 2 diabetes and heart failure, working by causing the kidneys to excrete excess glucose in the urine.

Antiplatelet salicylate

Low-dose aspirin (81 mg daily) is widely used for cardiovascular prevention, especially in patients with prior heart attack, stroke, or stent placement.

P2Y12 antiplatelet

Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet medication used after heart attack, stroke, or stent placement, and often combined with aspirin in the months following a cardiac event.

Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)

Rivaroxaban is a direct oral anticoagulant used to prevent stroke in atrial fibrillation and to treat or prevent DVT and pulmonary embolism.

RANK ligand inhibitor (anti-resorptive)

Denosumab is an injected antibody that reduces bone breakdown, used for osteoporosis (Prolia) and for bone metastases or bone protection during cancer treatment (Xgeva).

Calcineurin inhibitor immunosuppressant

Cyclosporine is an immunosuppressant used after organ transplant and for autoimmune conditions like severe psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Antimetabolite chemotherapy

5-Fluorouracil is a chemotherapy drug used for colon, breast, gastric, and other cancers, and as a topical treatment for some skin cancers.

Atypical opioid analgesic (mu-opioid agonist + SNRI)

Tramadol is an atypical opioid used for moderate pain, with both mu-opioid and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor activity.

Mu-opioid agonist

Hydrocodone is one of the most prescribed opioid analgesics in the US, often combined with acetaminophen for moderate to severe pain.

Hydantoin anticonvulsant

Phenytoin is a long-established anticonvulsant used to control seizures, especially generalized tonic-clonic and focal seizures.

Antimalarial / DMARD

Hydroxychloroquine is used for malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune conditions.

Selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM)

Tamoxifen is an estrogen receptor modulator used to treat and prevent hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, typically taken for 5 to 10 years.

Dopamine precursor (anti-Parkinson's)

Levodopa is the most effective medication for Parkinson's disease, converted to dopamine in the brain to replace what the disease destroys.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)

Naproxen is a long-acting NSAID used for arthritis pain, menstrual cramps, dental pain, and other inflammatory pain.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)

Ibuprofen is the most commonly used over-the-counter NSAID for pain, inflammation, and fever, and the most common dentist-recommended pain reliever after extractions and other dental procedures.

Non-opioid analgesic and antipyretic

Acetaminophen is a widely used pain reliever and fever reducer that works through the central nervous system without affecting inflammation or platelets, making it the standard dental pain choice for patients who can't take NSAIDs.

Atypical antipsychotic

Olanzapine is an atypical antipsychotic used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as an adjunct in major depression.

Atypical antipsychotic

Quetiapine is an atypical antipsychotic used for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and as an off-label sleep aid and depression adjunct.

mTOR inhibitor / immunosuppressant

Sirolimus is an mTOR inhibitor used after organ transplant to prevent rejection and increasingly in some cancers and rare diseases.

mTOR inhibitor

Everolimus is an mTOR inhibitor used for breast cancer, kidney cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, and as an immunosuppressant after some transplants.

Angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)

Losartan is an angiotensin receptor blocker used for high blood pressure, heart failure, and to protect kidney function in diabetic patients.

Thiazide diuretic

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic, one of the most prescribed blood pressure medications in the US, often combined with other classes.

CNS stimulant

Methylphenidate is the most commonly prescribed ADHD medication in children, available as immediate-release (Ritalin), extended-release (Concerta), and other formulations.