Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic autoimmune disease. Treatment aims to reduce and improve its signs and symptoms. Hence, Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) are the treatment of choice. The objective of this study was to identify potential interactions between DMARDs and the drugs most frequently prescribed in dentistry in order to avoid adverse reactions.
This literature review sets out to define possible adverse reactions provoked by pharmacological interactions between DMARDs and the drugs commonly prescribed in dentistry. A search was conducted in PubMed by searching the names of drugs used in dentistry, "drug interactions," "rheumatoid arthritis," and "dentistry", "hydroxychloroquine", "leflunomide", "methotrexate", "sulfasalazine", "adalimumab", "anakinra", "etanercept", "abatacept", "infliximab" and "rituximab".
It was found that most DMARDs show potential interactions with many drugs used in dentistry, including various antibiotics, analgesics, anesthetics, antifungals, and corticosteroids.
It is clinically important for oral health clinicians to be aware of possible drug interactions between DMARDs and the drugs commonly prescribed in dentistry to prevent potential adverse reactions and avoid endangering the patient.