Evoxac

Cevimeline

Common brand names: Evoxac

Dental uses: Cevimeline is approved for the symptomatic treatment of dry mouth (xerostomia) in patients with Sjogren’s syndrome (an immune system disease).

Dosages for dental purposes: The recommended dose of cevimeline is 30 milligrams three times per day.

Concerns and possible side effects: Patients with a chronic dry mouth are at increased risk for dental decay and should see their dentist for treatment. The most common side effects from cevimeline are sweating, runny nose, nausea, chills and excess salivation. Patients with severe asthma should not take cevimeline because cevimeline may precipitate an asthmatic attack in these individuals. Cevimeline should not be taken by patients with narrow-angle glaucoma (increased eye pressure) or acute iritis (inflammation of the iris), because cevimeline may precipitate a glaucoma attack in these individuals. Certain drugs may cause cevimeline to accumulate in the body and increase its risks of side effects. These include the antibiotics erythromycin (Eryc) and clarithromycin (Biaxin); azole antifungal drugs such as ketoconazole (Nizoral) and fluconazole (Diflucan); the ulcer medication cimetidine (Tagamet); and the antidepressants fluoxitene (Prozac), sertraline (Zoloft) and paroxitene (Paxil). This list is not complete, and it continues to grow. These interactions can be serious, so it is imperative to inform your dentist of all medications you are taking. In addition, the ingestion of grapefruit juice can also cause the accumulation of and increase the risks of side effects from cevimeline.