tetracycline and Avitaminosis

Current interest in tetracycline staining of teeth and other enamel defects led to this review. In the handicapped child structural defects that were seen in the dental enamel may provide a most accurate etiological clue. The method of determining the time of insult is described. Comments are made on seven states in which enamel dysplasia may be frequently observed. A simple means of identifying tetracycline pigment incorporated in dental enamel is outlined. Bilirubin staining of teeth is also shown and warnings are given about the indelible nature of these pigments.

Topics: Avitaminosis; Bilirubin; Cerebral Palsy; Child; Communicable Diseases; Dental Calculus; Dental Enamel; Female; Genetics, Medical; Humans; Hypersensitivity; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature; Kernicterus; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Molar; Pigmentation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Rubella; Tetracycline; Tooth, Deciduous

Many drugs produce vitamin deficiencies. They belong to the most important and common therapeutical classes: analgesics, antianemics, antibacterial and antiblastic agents, antibiotics, antidiabetics, antimalarials, antiphlogistics, antipyretics, diuretics, laxatives and purgatives, tranquilizers and anticonvulsives, radiomimetics, hormones and vitamins themselves. The vitamin deprivation processes may be produced by a variety of mechanisms and may involve all vitamins. Recent experiments indicate that there is a competition for binding sites on proteins between vitamin C and salicylate and between dicoumarol and vitamin K. Usually a drug exerts a "devitaminizing" action with respect to only one vitamin. However there are examples of multiple vitamin deficiencies induced by a single drug, like salicylate which deprives the organism of vitamins C, K and pantothenate. These deficiencies may develop either all at the same time or successively. A direct and concomitant vitamin depriving action occurs when an antibiotic blocks the production of vitamins by the enteric flora. A different mode of action occurs in the drug induced folic acid deficiency, which in turn induces a deficiency of vitamin B12. It has been reported that a vitamin deficiency may result from intake of high pharmacological doses of other vitamins. These data need confirmation in patients treated with high doses of nicotinic acid. The drug induced vitamin deficiencies are studied with the same methodology employed for avitaminoses in general; hence they can be diagnosed using the same criteria.

Topics: Analgesics; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Anticonvulsants; Ascorbic Acid; Avitaminosis; Female; Folic Acid; Humans; Maternal-Fetal Exchange; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications; Tetracycline; Tryptophan; Vitamin B Complex

Topics: Avitaminosis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Denture, Complete; Gingival Diseases; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Mouth Neoplasms; Poisoning; Stomatitis, Aphthous; Tetracycline; Ulcer

Topics: Abortion, Induced; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Avitaminosis; Congenital Abnormalities; Female; Humans; Oxytetracycline; Pregnancy; Tetracycline; Vitamin B Deficiency