The growing use of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists such as semaglutide is changing patients' oral health profiles, and dental hygienists should adjust their chairside protocols in response, according to a clinical feature published October 2 in Dimensions of Dental Hygiene.
Common side effects of the drugs -- dry mouth, reduced appetite, and changes in diet and saliva production -- can raise patients' caries risk and affect hygiene treatment planning, the article noted.
The feature urges hygienists to update health history reviews to identify patients taking GLP-1 medications and revise patient education protocols to address the drugs' oral health effects.
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