Can Teeth Rot Because Of Oxycontin Use
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ive been on these for about 7 years and was just asking coz my teeth are slowly getting worse also on oxynorm amitriptoline seratail co-codamol and have just started on fentanyl patches please help

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24

Hi Clare!! I realize your post is from a long time ago but YES, actually any pain meds can cause your teeth ?? to rot. I think it depends on how long you’ve been on meds. I’ve been on some type of pain med for about 40 years. I didn’t know this UNTIL it happened to me. I’ve now lost ALL of my teeth ?? & have dentures. Before that, I had 2 fillings total. My dentist told me that it’s because pain meds mess with the good bacteria. ?? IF THAT MAKES SENSE!?! I’m almost 59 & have had dentures for awhile. Like maybe 15 years or more. I HATE my bottom dentures, so I only wear my top ones. But yeah, it’s a thing for some people.

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23

Yes, how can we get the pharmacetacal responsible for us losing our teeth to pay up!!!?????

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22

Simply search the Medschat forums for "Oxycontin damaged my teeth" and you're free to read and comment on it!

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21

My tooth decay started while I was on Lyrica for about 4 years. I always went to dentist every 6 months, then in 6 months I had 13 cavities. At first my PA & I thought it was my thyroid. Got all teeth fixed & in 6 months I had about 6 more cavities. I had gone off Lyrica by then. I was losing my balance & I'd gained 30 lbs that I could never get off. I take Oxycontin for IC & fibromyalgia after I went off Lyrica. I've lost 11 teeth & have to get 5 more out. They just snap at the gumline. All of them were rotting but could only be seen on 'xrays. I used to get compliments on my teeth so this is devastating. I have zero pain tolerance for teeth & they can only do 4 or 5 at a time under Propafol. I'm due to get 5 more out May 3. Can't stand to have all out at once nor afford it. My cardiologist said he'd seen this with Lyrica, also.

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20

I have had the same problem and I've been on Fentanyl and I have had Oxycontin among other things but these two are the culprits for teeth problem I'm sure of it

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19

I have been on oxycondone 35mg a day. I went up from 25mg to 35 mg. I was building up tolerance to it. I would like to get off this roller coaster. I had lung cancer in May of 2016 before I had the surgery to removed my right lower lobe. My RA acted up and has my let up I do suffer from it all over my body. The problem is of 2016 I went from being a type 2 diabetic to a Type1. I also have hepatic C. So the specialists and Doctors, don't want to put me on anything that would cause the cancer to come back or make the hep C start affecting me! I have been praying to God for a total healing! Help do you have any advice. I do not want to become addicted to this pain med. I don't like taking them but get terrible pain if I don't. Am I already addicted?

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18

Compass dental takes medicade and works on a sliding scale...dont give up..i am goin through the same thing...they will help you!!!

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17

You provided links to medical sites but did you read them? You are rebutting what I said about dry mouth being the ONLY cause of tooth decay:

Side effects

Main side effects of oxycodone[34]
Common side effects include euphoria, constipation, fatigue, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, anxiety, itching, and sweating.[35] Less common side effects (experienced by less than 5% of patients) include loss of appetite, nervousness, abdominal pain, diarrhea, urine retention, dyspnea, and hiccups.[36]

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16

Yes! Even my own Brother has called me "Meth mouth! "

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15

I really have a great deal of compassion for you. I also constantly get accused of having "methamphetamine mouth" and NOBODY believes me that I have never even tried methamphetamine ever in my life. It really sucks being judged.

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14

All I have to say is that you're one in a million and I can only wish that I were as lucky as you are!

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13

Good grief! I've been taking OxyContin for 15 years for a severe chronic pain condition. I see the dentist twice a year, never have any cavities, have healthy gums, etc. The only dental work I've needed is having two wisdom teeth removed and having some 50 year old fillings replaced. I drink lots of water and brush three times a day. Because I'm 63 years old, I take a Calcium/Vit D and a Vit D3 supplement; I take this because of my age and because I don't want to develop osteoporosis, though a bone density evaluation showed that my bones are in excellent condition. In any case, since the alternative is living in agony, I'll take my chances which, thus far, seem pretty good. Just wanted to share actual personal experience rather than those who take worst case possibilities and make them seem inevitable.

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12

Yes I took oxycontin 80mg 4x a day for many years and my teeth did the EXACT same thing, rotted from the inside out. They just crumbled apart as if made of clay instead of bone and, I had perfect teeth ALL my life.I'm now 40 and have no teeth just very painful black stumps where teeth USED to be. It has made me SO UGLY I haven't left my house in 4 years cuz I'm too ashamed of my UGLY face and my disgusting mouth. The physical and emotional pain has made me suicidal. I'm on ssi disability which provides me with Medicaid and a very small monthly check. Medicaid doesn't cover dental and my tiny check I get each month is nowhere NEAR enough to cover MAJOR oral surgery and full dentures.
So it looks like my "face" (or what USED to be a face) is going to be made grotesque by my disgusting mouth till I finally die because I have no recourse.
I have self isolated for so long I have developed extreme social anxiety so, I'll remain camped out alone in my room till I finally die.

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11

Hello, Cherry! I've read your post and OMG, I read it as if I had posted it myself! Virtually everything you wrote could have come from me, from the reactions to the pain med (itchy nose, not ever getting "high", etc.) to being on Cymbalta, and, like I said, virtually everything else you said! I, like you, have had devastating tooth loss and the ones I do have left look like I've got "meth mouth ". Even my own family don't believe that it's caused by the medications! I feel for as much as I wish my family would me. Take care and God bless you, Christine (and, BTW, the same goes for ALL OF YOU who are having to deal with the very same thing! )

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10

Simply post! That's all there is to it!

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9

Omg....I never knew why my teethe were so bad!! :( my parents paid so much to give me pretty straight teethe and now they're rotting!

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8

Hi, I just found this site, and it says no registration is needed, but I really want to be a part of this forum!

I am trying to research now because in the last 3 years I have lost almost every single tooth in my mouth! I have excellent oral hygiene and yet my teeth have actually broken off a few times, and most of them have abcessed. It seems that they have rotted from the inside out. I have also lost a great deal of jaw bone on the right side.

It only came to my attention last week that all of this could be related to long-term use of opioids. I have 2 pain conditions, the worst of which is complex regional pain syndrome in my right hand and arm. I have been on oxycontin for well over a decade. I am not an addict. I have never gotten "high" from any pain medications. I used to get nauseous and woozy, but built up a tolerance long ago and no longer have that. I have on exactly 2 occasions, both of them years ago, been in so much pain that I took more oxycontin than I should have in a shorter amount of time, and both times I ended up throwing them up. I don't think I could become an addict if I wanted. I'm the same way with alcohol, BTW. A tiny drink and I feel tipsy and unwell, and any more & I throw up. (Got that out of me in my teens!)

Nevertheless, I have no quality of life at all without pain medications. I try to go at least one day a week without taking anything, just to do it, but that day is spent in bed with ice packs and heating pads. CRPS is difficult to describe if you haven't experienced it. It's like smashing your thumb in a car door, and that's all you can think about until the pain goes away. Only my pain never goes away.

So, here I am wondering if all this tooth loss was caused by taking strong opioids for so long? It would almost be a relief if that's the answer, because I've felt terrible about it. I also have terrible dry mouth (I take cymbalta, too), and suffer from yeast infections in and around my mouth a lot. I have to use Nystatin, and sometimes need to take pills. I even get itchy nose at times. Maybe that's the pain meds, too? I've had times when I went to the dentist with sores all over my tongue and gums and the hygienist constantly berated me for "bad hygiene", even though I brush my teeth constantly, all day long! Now I use a water flosser, too, and that does seem to help keep the yeast infection sores at bay.

I appreciate your candor on this forum and hope somebody can maybe tell me where to go to find more information. My injuries are work-related and if it turns out that my tooth loss really was caused by opioids, I'm hoping maybe workers' comp will pay for some of the expense of crowns and bridges. Thanks.

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7

Hi Posters this is my second post today ALL opioids cause decreased saliva leading to dental erosion which can result in massive issues; not just cavities; tooth loss and bone loss (jaw); abscess and infection, and the need for expensive restoration.

It is actually going to be typical if you are on pain management. There is no prevention as my specialist told me "P450 (not my real name but I am a P450 ultra rapid opioid metabolizer) it does not matter how good you take care of your teeth this is going to happen when you are on these pain medications there is nothing to prevent the loss of saliva."

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6

Christine I appreciate you getting back to me, but how do I join in that group? I'm not quite understanding about how to proceed. Ty

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5

I am not personally involved in that forum anymore (that I mentioned in an earlier post) because my own medical issues take up most all my time just to deal with. However, if you go to that forum, you'll find a lot of members who are still trying to initiate legal action against the drug manufacturers and, from what I understand, they are trying to put together a separate forum for all tooth decay sufferers to be able to communicate with one another (something I had tried to do but couldn't get anyone to cooperate, surprisingly). Personally, and unless one of their members happens to BE an attorney, I have serious doubts that there will ever be a successful classes action suit against the drug companies so that they'll pay to have our teeth fixed. That being said, I wish them all the best and I would encourage you to join in their conversations. Take care, be well, and good luck in your endeavors! Christine

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