Oxycontin Damaged My Teeth (Page 21)

Has anyone else known oxycontin to rot the teeth? I used to be on vicodin until my doctor told me I needed to switch to a morphine based meds. She put me on ms contin but I had problems with it so she put me on 80mg oxycontin. Eventually my body built up a tolerance so she kept raising it, i have am now on from 4-6 per day of the 80mg tabs. It scares me that this is what rotted my teeth because only 5 yrs ago i had only 2 cavities that needed filling and then only 1 yr after going on the oxycontin i had to have all my top front teeth pulled as they where rotting from the inside out the dentist said my mouth looked like a heroin addict's mouth looks. He said it was shocking to him that normally he only saw such damage from someone who abused drugs with so much dental damage, but i have never done any street drugs and have only take my meds as prescribed to me. Now i have lost 80% of my teeth and as a beautiful 41 yr old mother its devastating. I cant afford dentures and sure cant afford implants like i would like to have. I am a single mother and refuse to date because i have lost my teeth now, i had beautiful teeth before i started on the oxycontin and only 2 small cavities that needed filling. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so why hasn't the company making oxycontin warn patients of this possible problem?

If i had known this would cause me to lose most of my teeth i would have never agreed to go on it. Of course my family doctor who has been prescribing them tells me she hasn't heard of any other cases, yet when i researched the med online there where others like this why hasn't something been put in the warnings about this med, i sure would have preferred to have lived in pain the rest of my life rather than lose my teeth and be unable to even eat now. My health has gone downhill fast as i cant even chew foods necessary for good health. All I can eat now are yogurts, and liquid type of foods which isn't much. My kids are 7 and 9 yrs old and they watch me cry when we go out to eat and they order steak, and i can smell it but can't order one as i know i wont be able to chew it. This is so devastating for me. I want teeth so badly if i could wish for anything in life besides not to be poor anymore it would be to have a full set of real teeth or implants but i could never dream of having them, and i don't know anyone out there willing to just help me get any either. I have always helped others all my life, but cant even help myself, i have had to have 29 surgeries now since 1991 when a drunk driver hit my car and caused me major injuries with my lower back and knees, i have had a full lower back fusion and 8 arthroscopic knee surgeries until a year ago they finally had to do a full right knee replacement and now they are talking about doing my left knee soon.

So my life has been up and down with surgeries and i would go thru one more surgery just to have teeth implanted if i could. but i could never afford it, but i would like to know why these drug manufacturers are making a medication that could cause teeth to rot like this without warning us patients or even warning the doctors about it. This is just terrible of them i think, as now i am the one paying for this by having no teeth to eat with at such a young age now. I am a vibrant young 41 yr old at 5'3, 120lbs, slim woman, nice looking too as i was a model in my younger days, so i keep my looks up. But to have no teeth now... I never smile anymore, I am to ashamed to smile even though it wasn't my fault i lost my teeth. I think they should pay for me to have new teeth but no one wants to admit that the med causes it, but my diet wasn't the problem back when i started the medication and i wasn't drinking coca-cola either or doing street drugs so i know that wasn't the cause either. The only thing that changed within one year to cause this was starting the oxycontin medication. Well, if anyone out there can help me let me know thanks.

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Dear Hiflyer, Martin and Mailman! First and foremost! Please forgive me, Hiflier for not acknowledging your recent cancer diagnosis! Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you for a successful treatment and a very long and PAIN FREE LIFE! For all of you, YES, we ARE all in this together and we should never forget that! Communicating via this media isn't always the best as sometimes words cannot be conveyed in the most direct way and, many times, they are miscontrude. Let us always stand strong together and make sure that we always pass along any information that may be useful to the rest of the followers! Be well (or as well as you can be) and bless you all! Christine

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Thanks Christine but I was on a tight rope for 2 weeks when after preliminary tests showed possible metastasis but with more testing I have an enchondromas of the hip which is non malignant but what now of course more doctors and the pain continues and of course now I am in the donut hole so RX costs per month just went up 3 fold one RX that use to cost me $45 now cost me $185 what am I to do just continue and see what happens!! Regards to all continue the struggle as we all do!!

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Have you ever tried the Fentanyl patch? It comes in many strengths and, although I'm still struggling to find the one that's going to help me the most (and so I don't have to take so many Oxycontin tabs) I know that I'll eventually find the strength tthat will eventually help me control my pain on a more long term basis. My insurance company won't cover the Oxycodone ER anymore since I'm in the donut hole (and I would have to pay in excess of $400 a month) but they do cover the patches and I only have to pay $7 for a month's supply. It might be worth a try.
Also, keep me/us posted in regards to your other med situation and I wish you the very best! Blessings, Christine

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Dear Christine this is the mailman and there is no need for you to apologize for a misunderstanding. I thank you for being the one that made it possible for us to email or speak to each other directly when needed and from what I know it was a first time for this site to do this for any group. You did it and if this information comes out and the they do have to fix our teeth we will most likely hear about it through each other and I Thank You for that ! Also Anon2ProtectmyBro you are in my Prayers as everyone here is because hearing that it may be possible to get our teeth fixed is amazing to hear and check into! Thank you both for the chance this might be the answer to our prayers !! Let's all see what we can find out and come back here and tell each other some good news for a change ! Thank you the mailman!

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Dear Mailman and everyone else who's following, Thank you so very much for acknowledging the efforts I put in but you all deserve acknowledgement, too. That being said, let's hope that there is, indeed, light at the end of our tunnel and that this isn't yet another pie in the sky fantasy. All we can do is wait and see. Much love and prayers to you all! Christine

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Hi Christine and to all others, Yes I have tried the patch and just kept going up and up to finally the Dr wanted to put me on 100mcg that's the top of the mountain where do you go from there so that med did not work for neither does morphine and all the other meds! I have a kitchen cupboard full of Rx that after trying it for a week or so and either getting no results or the side effects were terrible so now I am drowning in the donut hole with no coffee with only $3000 more of out of pocket to go on Rx meds to go to catastrophic coverage Oh Well! Regards, and stay as well as you can just don't you hate when a lot of Co. and persons are now saying Be Well!! Well I am trying!! And its not working even with all the Drs involved!! Nite Nite!!

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The person who said that it was her fault for taking the pain pills is full of crap!!! When you are in a hospital bed unable to move or think straight they put you on pain meds as a human body can only endure so much. As for being sent home with pain meds, when you are faced with having to walk, pee, take showers, take care of your children ect no its not a choice to take the meds or not!!! Her body was severely damaged by a drunk driver, he had a choice she did not. Learn some empathy and do some research before judging others!!!

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Good God this was from2003 when she bought a cpl cable cheaters!!! Its not like she is a con Artist!!! Ive known lots of ppl who have used them cards!!! Get off your high horse!!!

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Robin.... Not sure who or what you're referring to but I can't think of anyone on this forum who's been judgemental or unkind and, if you've experienced that, I'm truly sorry. Perhaps you could clarify? Be well, Christine

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HI, HIFLYER..... Not sure exactly what you're referring to as I just went from 100 to 150 and I know for a fact that the patch is available in increasing dosages up from there. I just started the 150 (having actually started at 50, then 100 a month later and so on) and I hope that it will keep me from having to take as many of the Oxys as I have been. Not so sure what the trade off is but I figure it's worth a try since I can't afford the 80 ER's anymore being in the donut hole. Let me know, OK? Take care, Christine

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Hi Christine, You can use 2 or more patches at a time but they come in these doses Duragesic comes in five strengths, which deliver fentanyl at different rates: 12 micrograms per hour (mcg/h), 25 mcg/h, 50 mcg/h, 75 mcg/h, and 100 mcg/h. I did not like them they did not last the 3 days and made me more lethargic than OxyContin. So for now I have cut back on the er from 80mgs a day to 40 and fill in with the ir because $185 for a months supply of OxyContin vs $75 for months supply of ir is much better. Regards, Norman

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Totally understand since I now have to put two patches on.... One 100 and one 50. I'm still hoping they will help me reduce my Oxy intake. We'll have to wait and see. Good night all! Christine

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Sorry was trying to stick up for the person who originally started this post. Until i noticed how old this message was from. I just have a hard time seeing people judged for the hell they have to live with day in and day out.. Sorry for the confusion

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just to let you know.

i've sent an email to the manufacturer of oxcontin here in the uk, outlining my tooth decay problems and have mentioned there's others like me, experiencing the same thing. it will be interesting to see their reply, assuming they do.

have any of you contacted the manufacturers in the u s a?

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That's totally okay, Robin! I knew there HAD to be a simple explanation and, regardless of how old the post was, it's nice that you felt the need to stick up for them. Take care and welcome to our forum! ;)

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I found a way off those damn pills but was also on them for many years and yes losing all my teeth. I previously had a beautiful smile. I was told that oxycontin causes severe dry mouth and without you're normal saliva that has minerals to keep your teeth strong and bacteria levels at bay, your teeth rot. After not smiling for ten years I am finally getting Denture implants in 3 weeks. All my molars just started snapping off at the gum line. It was definitely from the damn oxycontin but good luck fighting big drug companies, they don't care. First I would get the hell off those, there are alternatives. I'm going through a dental school to have my work done and saving huge money with first class services and products. Is there one in your state?

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This is the response from the pharmaceutical company who manufactures oxycontin in the UK:

Dear Mr Vallis,

OxyContin® prolonged release tablets (oxycodone): tooth decay

I refer to your recent inquiry in which you requested information on OxyContin (oxycodone). I understand that you have suffered from an abnormal level of tooth decay after using OxyContin. You asked for information regarding the potential causes for this. I hope the following information is helpful. First of all, I am sorry to hear that you have experienced tooth decay following the use of
OxyContin. Please be assured that we take information regarding side-effects seriously and have passed this information onto our Drug Safety Department who may wish to contact you further regarding this matter. As you are aware, the Patient Information Leaflet (PIL)1 for OxyContin lists tooth decay as an uncommon side effect (May affect up to 1 in 100 people). The Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) is a more detailed document than the PIL and is intended for use by health care professionals. The SPC for OxyContin2 lists dental caries (tooth decay) as an uncommon undesirable effect occurring in = 1% of cases. Neither the PIL1 nor the SPC2 provide any information regarding a potential mechanism by which OxyContin can cause tooth decay. We adhere to The Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI) Code of Practice, which states that as a Pharmaceutical company we are unable to discuss specific medical matters or provide medical advice to patients or intervene with the patient/doctor relationship. However, we are able to send further information directly to your doctor or pharmacist regarding this issue, which they can then discuss with you. I would therefore suggest that you discuss this matter further with your doctor or pharmacist. Your doctor or pharmacist may then wish to contact us to gain further information regarding this matter. As I am sure you will appreciate they are best placed to advise you about the suitability of a particular product and your doctor will also have details of your medical history and access to information on all medicinal products. I hope that you find this information useful. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me again.

Yours sincerely,
Philippa Mort RGN
Medical Information Officer on behalf of Napp Pharmaceuticals

References:
1. OxyContin PIL (April 2015)
2. OxyContin SPC (August 2014)
®: OxyContin is a registered trademark

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Not surprised by their response but I would be curious to find out exactly WHEN they added the "dental caries" warning! I would suspect it's been fairly recent and added on order to cover their arses!

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I too have noticed a deterioration of my teeth after only 2 weeks of prescribed oxycodone for a broken leg that will eventually lead to surgery soon. I am considering stopping the meds but the doc says i need it. What the f*** is going on here? I have so far respected all the advice and followup they have provided and got to admit the oxy makes me feel great but at the expense of what?

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I switched from Oxycontin tho the Fentanyl patch and, although it took a little tinkering with the strength/dosage, I believe we've found the right patch dose for overall pain and Oxycodone for breakthrough pain. It's not as effective as the Oxycontin DR but at least I'm not getting a double teeth killing combination of both. You might think about that as an alternative.

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