Relationship between amphetamine ingestion and gingival enlargement.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between amphetamine ingestion and gingival enlargement. METHODS A total of 40 subjects were included in this study. Group 1 consisted of 20 subjects taking amphetamines and attending the dental clinic at Children's Hospital of Buffalo and The University at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine. These subjects were not taking phenytoin, cyclosporine, or calcium channel blockers. Patients with cardiovascular or hormonal disorders were excluded from the study. The information obtained from patients' parents or legal guardians were: (1) the time when the patient started taking the medication; (2) how often the patient took the medication per day; and (3) the medication's dosage. Gingival and plaque indices were also measured to assess gingival health. The Silness and Löe plaque index and modified gingival index were used. A second group of 20 healthy subjects not taking any medications was used as a control group. Gingival enlargement was evaluated clinically by one examiner and evaluated from intraoral photographs by another examiner. RESULTS The results of this study demonstrated a relationship between amphetamine usage and gingival enlargement. There was a statistically significant increased prevalence (P<.05) of gingival enlargement in the group of patients taking amphetamines. CONCLUSIONS This study shows that patients taking amphetamines have an increased risk of gingival enlargement. A stringent effort to minimize gingival inflammation should be instituted, and patients should be monitored closely with more follow-up appointments than nonmedicated patients.