Anti Viral Medicines used most commonly in dentistry

1. Anti Virals in Dentistry
Sana Rasheed

2.  Antiviral drugs are used for treating viral infections. However, antiviral drugs do not destroy their
target pathogen, they only inhibit their development.
 The herpes virus is of the most interest to the dental health care worker.

3. Commonly Used Antivirals in Dentistry
Generic Name: Acyclovir Used in topical , IV, oral formulations

4. Indications
 Acyclovir is effective in patients with normal as well as deficient immune status.
 Genital Herpes simplex infection.
 Mucocutaneous H.simplex disease which is localized to lips and gums. This may not require
specific treatment, but may require 10 day treatment with acyclovir.
 H.simplex encephalitis- Acyclovir is the drug of choice.
 H.simplex keratitis.
 Herpes zoster and chicken pox.

5. Adverse Effects
 Topical - Stinging and burning sensation after each application.
 Oral - The drug is well tolerated, headache, nausea, malaise and some CNS effects are reported.
 Intravenous - Sweating, rashes, emesis and fall in B.P occur in only few patients.

6. Penciclovir
 Available topically
 Shown to reduce both the duration of the
lesion and the pain of the lesions on the lips
and face associated with both primary and
recurrent herpes.

7. Docosanol 10%
 Available topically and without a prescription.
 Has been shown to decrease healing time by about a half day in
patient with recurrent orolabial herpes when started within 12 hours
of the appearance of prodromal symptoms.

8. Famciclovir
 Indications: Used in the
treatment of herpes zoster
and genital herpetic
infections
 Contraindications:
Hypersensitivity, children.
Precautions Renal and liver
disease, pregnancy and
breastfeeding.
 Side effects:
Maitenance of adequate fluid intake is
required with high doses.
Fever, gastrointestinal upset, dizziness,
confusion, and hallucinations, headache
and sinusitis, rash.

9. Valaciclovir (Valtrex)
 It is a pro-drug for aciclovir.
 Indications Used to treat
herpes simplex and varicella-
zoster infections
Contraindications:
 Hypersensitivity, children.
Precautions : Renal disease,
pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Side effects:
 Glossitis, altered taste,
gastrointestinal upset, renal
failure, bone marrow
depression, tremors and
convulsions, rash, and
urticaria.

10. Other Similar Drugs
 Ganciclovir
 Foscarnet
 Nucleotide Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
 Zidovudine

11. Zidovudine
Indication
 Zidovudine is used with combination with other 2 antiretro virus
drugs in HIV cases.
Adverse Effects
 Anaemia and neutropenia are the most important side effect.
 Nausea, anorexia, abdominal pain, headache, insomnia and
myalgia are common at the start of the therapy but diminish
later.
 Myopathy, lactic acidosis, hepatomegaly, convulsions and
encephalopathy are infrequent

12. Thank you