Steroids Blog

The research team of Dr. Onur Ozcelik of the Cukurova University reported that anabolic steroids can cause gingival enlargement. This is because the gingiva is affected by sex hormones, and clinical changes in periodontal tissue have been observed during puberty, pregnancy, menopause, and with the use of oral contraceptives. This engorgement of the gums makes it easier for bacteria in plaque to accumulate, placing steroid users at risk for severe gum infection.

However, in the study, steroid users who were found to have significantly enlarged gums did not have more plaque beneath their gums compared to non steroid users. The study compared the gums of 24 body builders who had been using anabolic steroids for less than one year with 20 body builders who had never used steroids.

From medpage today:

The overgrown gums make it easier for bacteria in plaque to accumulate, placing steroid users at risk for severe gum infection, said Onur Ozcelik, D.D.S., Ph.D., and colleagues of Cukurova University here in the July issue of the Journal of Periodontology.

The current study compared the gums of 24 body builders who had been using anabolic steroids for less than one year with 20 body builders who had never used steroids. All participants were between the ages of 17 and 29.

Compared with their steroid-free counterparts, the steroid users were found to have:

• significantly thicker gums (an average score of 1 versus 0.3; P<.001).
• more gingival encroachment onto teeth (an average score of 0.9 versus 0.2; P<.001).
• more overall gingival enlargement (average score 0.9 versus 0.3; P<.001).

There are no known facts if the engorgement of the gums will regress when the use anabolic steroids is stopped. So, the researchers urge dentists and periodontists to be familiar with the potential side effects of anabolic steroids to the gingival tissues.