Oxycontin Damaged My Teeth (Page 8) (Top voted first)

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.

REPLY

REPORT

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

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

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!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

The Oxycontin is absolutely the cause of tooth loss! I had no dental problems until I was put on Oxycontin over 10 years ago because of an accident and many broken bones and subsequently many surgeries. Within 6 months teeth started snapping off at the gum line, it was horrifying. I had my Dr. Safely get me off it right away. But not in time to prevent all my teeth being destroyed. I haven't smiled in ten years! Dental work is so expensive. I have always worked full time, except for the year and a half around the accident. All my money went to my children. But finally after almost 12 years with messed up teeth, I am getting a brand new smile next Wednesday!!!! I was assured by every specialist I spoke with that yes most likely it was the Oxycontin!!! They should take it off the market. I wish I could tell you where you could get your smile back for free, but there is no such thing. I even spent hours looking for places that give you a break in pricing, there is no such thing. I had to work many 60 hour work weeks, and save pennies and it's taken me ten years to now finally be able to do it. Next Wednesday is my big day. I feel your pain, and wish you the best.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Erica ALL opioids reduce saliva which over time leads to dental erosion.

If you are injured and in pain secondary (taking medications for injury pain for example) your insurer should
be paying your dental work and restoration.

We all face this on opioid therapy it is not just this drug ALL of them.

Peace out!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hollywood and for many of us with DDD it is worse you increase the Ca2 and then we have more renal stones forming; remember if you have bad discs and are in pain your adrenal is throwing off high cortisol levels (fight or flight response) and you are going to break down disc material increasing your stones.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Yes I would very much like to talk to you more personally and I empathize with you as well. Ours is not a happy much less fulfilling life especially when I can't even volunteer for anything which I used to do all the time and with tremendous passion. I rarely leave my room much less my home now and if it weren't for my Mom I'd most likely been living off the streets. Let's try to connect.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Ali this is a serious potential death causing secondary effect would you like to support people here or perhaps you do not understand that some of us can and will die without opioid pain management.

Mine is such a case.

This is a support forum.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

that's a ridiculous comment and has no place for here!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

John how interesting.

Are you on opioid therapy. If so what set of teeth should they get fixed? For instance I referred a long term party with gorgeous teeth before her accident hard as rock and lovely not a cavity in sight.

Well after a year and she requires LA and LONG term therapy her mouth was filled with cavities, breaking teeth, and then abscesses which went to her BONE leading to osteomyelitis and oral surgery.

First go round $12,000 just to gut, clean, and cut it up. No restoration.

Three years later she is facing full extractions and then what does she eat with. First the top came out and with a proper denture (nothing fancy for she was too frail for such work) the cost was $5,000.

Two more years now the bottom is eating her jaw away already fought bone infection and oral surgery; they will have to IMPLANT CADAVER bone for implants and suggest since so much bone loss she has dual implants with clip on denture we are looking at a time frame to restore of six months and $16,000.

John these people are clean and keeping their teeth brushed. This is epidemic perhaps you are a rich man but the rich would not waste money on bad investments.

Ponder that.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

You tell him, P450! This guy doesn't have a clue and has insulted each and every one of us who have been adversely affected by this side effect of a drug that we all depend upon to help us deal with the 24/7 pain none of us asked for! Really, Baby John, do you REALLY THINK that if we had a choice in the matter we would have chosen this for ourselves? And I, just like P450, can't help but ask if you are a chronic pain sufferer and if you have ANY IDEA what it's like to watch your once beautiful, bright smile melt away one by one and piece by piece. I think the word here is COMPASSION AND EMPATHY!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Sadly, there is case after case of this kind of horrible bone and teeth loss. This is so heartbreaking for this woman. To have some say just get over it is so insulting. These people who have had life altering injury are NOT druggies trying to get a fix, they are people who have gone through hell like the woman you speak of. To have baby John say just get over it makes me think he has no idea of the helL these people have gone through.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Ali yes it is and I'd ignore people who come on here to cause others pain. It is far worse then just simple hygiene, and the real risk past eating and digestion is infection which can cause infection to the pericardium and blood brain barrior which we know is fatal.

Agreed <3

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hi Christine yes and I just got ball blasted on a Colorado post as if I were saying something to insult someone over there. Over there are we in certain zones I mean I'm not originally Texan for God's sake PAIN will take you around the world don't you agree sister :)

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

I have experienced some dental issues that have come with taking my medication that was not happening before taking oxy 60mg ..I does the same as hydrocodone or any opiate type med... they all dehydrate your body and contribute to dental issues as well as to your joints unless you actually drink plenty of the right fluids and keep up on vitamins so diet will contribute as well..

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

P450...thanks for that info. I do understand it will occur with time ange etc. ... the question posted-- has anyone else experienced this type of thing and that's what my answer/reference was about..I didn't have any of the dental issues myself until I started having to take the oxy, as we know everybody will not experience the same side effects. As you are a nurse maybe you can give us some ideas other things that may help or slow this... I have degenerative bone and joint disease with osteoarthritis and I was told this does not have any affect on my dental problems?? Maybe it does and my Dr misinformed me on the affects.. As to the original question posted what is your opinion on the med causing any rotting or weakening of teeth and gum tissue....?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Pedro sorry I will be busy for the next few days and they are taking forever to clear and release messages. I apologize for this in advance I really do not like having to wait when they know my credentials and persist with this.

Any opioid for pain will reduce saliva. So if you like I require opioids which you do for your pain syndromes your physician is aware of this. If he or she is a PM specialist very aware and can document this. It might help if you have insurance to cover dental damage.

Dental erosion occurs and again its the decrease in saliva and regardless of excellent hygiene it is what we might call an adverse side effect of our pain therapy. I cannot tell you one drug or another does it less or more BUT when the lollipops were popular (Fentanyl) you saw an enormous amount of patients using this medication with total extractions I have heard this particular drug which you leave sitting in the check to release medication (fast release) has higher level sugar but ultimately it is the opioid.

Proactive anything prevents a host of problems but in this particular case it is like constipation it is one of the side effects that no matter how tolerant you become still remains an issue with opioid therapy.

The most important supportive measure I can give you is alert your significant others that it is NOT due to your diet, lack of dental hygiene or the like it is definitely something a dental expert will also confirm in writing for an insurance evaluation. Most of us would not want the pain and suffering we see associated with implants but what worries me more is the infection process which can head to the brain or heart leading to life threatening situations.

Hope that helped a bit and peace..

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Ali yes pharmacies under Odumma have been given free reign. When I hopefully get another physician (remember guys if you know someone who can handle a complex case I have been seven months without my normal medication and am on so low a dosage since I conserved I am still alive it can be Texas or Louisiana but anywhere in America I need some names pronto). Now that means say your physician writes you 180 Percocet 5 for this month as your BT medication.

Well you are closer to a pharmacy on this side of town. You are late for a MRI which you must get for your surgeon who you have not visited for two years and this must be done today. So you go to another Walgreen but they can look up your history and know you are a regular client. Your physicians DOES NOT CARE where you fill ok?

A pharmacist has the legal right (due to Odumma) to say "I do not have that quantity but I have Lortab I am going to change this" and he or she can do this without your physician's approval. I would suggest strongly for most of us realize that a change of that magnitude can cause withdrawals and inadequate pain control that you GET that script back, and say something nice such as "You know my regular pharmacy usually has that quantity thanks for your help. I will drop this off there after my MRI exam thanks for your time."

I have no idea WHY America has now stooped to the very level we once proclaimed worldwide "the best healthcare in the world." Physicians from Australia, and Russia and most other areas cannot come in the U.S. and say "I was a physician here so I'd like to license in the U.S." Unless you were educated in Western medicine you cannot practice here. But with this Odummacare they are removing all affordable care; we were told there were shortages of opioids as early as six years ago NOT TRUE. Medications were pulled back due to executive order to INCREASE the price which you all have seen the increase is 8 to 10 x what your opioids were a few years back.

I have a workers comp 100% medical award for life that I thought protected me BUT now the people insuring the employer are attempting across the board to hit all injured workers in the same way. Their best bet with me now (for I fear they really chased my famous physician off I had to go to court to win him when my PM of 10 years died they did not want me having to travel from one state to another because they tried to send me to addiction specialists when your drug bill is over $20,000 a month they try to play doctor and fools are high school graduates at best not physicians or nurses) is to obey the court order I just won (get me physicians here a panel and pay mileage) but they appealed long story short I have that and the SSA BS to contend with.

I'd suggest if need be and you are in a good relationship with your physician to ask if that medication could be changed if he or she changes the amount or schedule it is new and should be treated as time related to the day written.

It is always nice to hear from another pain sufferer. God bless.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Thank you all for your valuable information that's help so many to know their not alone in this aweful battle. I have not only been in unconscionable pain but my illness has me scared of what the future holds. You have not only helped me with your insight and experience.
All of us wish that whatever illness or pain wasn't a part of our lives, but it is and if there is something that will make our lives tolerable, even so slightly livable, I'll take it in a minute.
Like you, I lived years suffering to the point of how can we go on like this? I pray we all find comfort somehow. Again thank you for your invaluable information.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Ali we have to hang in together it's time those who are not able to get pain management start posting together on one post let's work to overcome this.

I need not lose any new friends I too must get help very soon it's almost 8 months without regular treatment and yes I am at high risk for death with or without.

Meantime I must play attorney and do it well but how well do you do this when in pain and doing a federal case and a WC case both of which are OLDER than dirt as we say in Texas :)

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Hi Everyone I'm so pleased we've chosen to gather right now. It's Sunday the 4th of October (2015) and wanted to drop a few words of support for everyone here. The dental issue we know is monumental--if those of you who were originally injured under WC contact your adjuster (unless you settled medical already), and have your primary pain specialist document on treatment note to the effect, "Mrs. X was put on opioid therapy for her chronic pain causally (that is legal term for a DIRECT relation to the comp injury must be used) related to her work injury of January 1, 2030. Always have this doctor write the date of the actual injury. Then "any of my patients or anyone on chronic opioid therapy which is required to control her pain, allow quality of life, ambulation, and decrease suicide potential will have decreased saliva leading to dental erosion." Then also make sure a dental group who is well aware of this is willing to do two things--give you an estimate for the restoration, and probably the top dollar is more important then what your body is willing to take.

Those on regular Medicare know there is no dental. Those on Medicaid (depending on your state) do have in most cases dental coverage so get involved with your computer and look up coverage, dentists who can be used for this work, and get moving. The ultimate reason is to prevent infection that can lead to death; dental infection WILL go to cardiac tissue (heart) or the brain, and can create sudden sepsis and death. At the least abscess, bone infection (osteomyelitis) and that pain is additional chronic pain you do not want it is hard to cure infection to bone for two reasons; one is there is no 02 supply (oxygen) and no blood supply so the only antibiotics used for this are Ciprofloxin and usually a Flagyl type drug for obvious reasons. Even with this in mind this bone causes such extreme pain that those of us with RSD will tell you it is worse or similar to RSD for example, and you will end up with an oral surgeon cutting it down to remove infection (jaw below teeth) so you are losing teeth and bone. If you are getting covered at some point for implants you need enough bone to hold implant.

I will again be reworking my legal brief today but yesterday the i***** I've written about from SSA who are completely confused I can tell you my original case is complex (back in 80's) and then I got OFF by going to get a 4 year nursing degree and then had a huge catastrophic injury. I realize now that because I was SSDI so long ago (80's) that I fall under a regulation for those disabled so long ago--we did not have these reject programs like ticket to work, none of that and a slew of other changes that they do not contact you about when they decide after YOU DO THE WORK TO GET OFF SSDI (college become a RN etc.) to reinstate the original claim when unfortunately you have this serious injury.

Normally my claim is reviewed at a hub (Philadelphia) but due to some documents to support my short stent at a DON job to help pay the damn transportation to California for five years because my comp has NEVER in over 20 years paid my mileage which shows another side they did not know, had to go to these local yokels to let them scan the same documents. I in fact, had one woman (very kind and knowing of regulations for she has been a veteran at SSA for like many years) and even tried to call her originally and she is either promoted or perhaps changed jobs or locations and another party was assigned. He told me if I took this stuff down to the local office they would scan it and he could sign off. He had already zeroed another job attempt.

Well the local yokel stole my claim from Philadelphia. She had the unmitigated gall to call for her supervisor (both have been reported by me I do not take injustice to anyone kindly) to ask her "I cannot make any movement on her claim this guy up in Philadelphia holds it I need to steal it from him!" and I was shocked to crap on this right out in the lobby at one of those walk up booths. This little supervisor comes up looks at my last name and starts (in a loud voice) almost screaming saying "Are you Dr. So and So's wife are you are you?" Of course I am NOT and thought my God where is privacy if I were. She pushed on this and this must be some local physician (I looked him up later), and then thought oh if I were his wife would she have pushed it through the witch?

This is now a nightmare from hell. When I was first SSDI there was no indigent SSI for one. No ticket so really I have no knowledge and with the serious nature of the pain going to Central Pain Syndrome I do not have to ok. I am allowed to just suffer and be disabled although I reach out and help others it's my nature. I had planned since all kinds of crap goes into motion when you try to disable someone for the wrong reason (2 years ago) meaning OVERPAYMENT etc. I had my plan of action in place and now yesterday find that these fruit loops have further screwed themselves by sending a denial on a reconsideration now that is not done in Louisiana (where I lived 10 years) and it is in Texas but due to the local office being hateful I had asked for the conference where I could actually have phone witnesses and more information we checked that off and NEVER got a reply. So they stop checks without a notice in writing which I just got, and the added benefit of these other changes not existing when I originally was awarded.

I need to pull together some paperwork today now to change approach. I find that I'm eligible to actually start a new claim which I would not do but go for expedited reinstatement and jump start that one month the i**** was trying to get me on for example. My health has never improved which at this point in my case I only get a medical interview letter bout every 7 years. So I get the half cocked proof that they wrongly did a recon in the bad office not allowing additional information or perhaps letters from friends for example, and half heartedly got in the mail after they had me already fill out an ALJ request a month before so they are literally proving their Fk factor plus.

I look forward to hearing more from all of you posting; the dental topic is serious but right now we all face the FDA attempt to restrict dosage to 120 mg. morphine equivalent which was due to HIGH OVERDOSE and death rate BUT the clear fact is the HIGH OD DEATH risk is from those NOT PRESCRIBED our medications and we know then what factor or folks were using our medications. We need to somehow push our next president who will see the wrongs in health care but may need a year or several to start changing back to where we were (a lot better than now) to realize how to treat those with IP (intractable pain) not the addicts abusing our medication.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

ive been on these for about 7 years and was just asking coz my teeth are slowly getting worse also on oxynorm amitriptol...

24 REPLIES

Has anyone else noticed that OxyContin 20mg wears off before 12 hours? I'm waiting for the extended relief pain meds...

4 REPLIES

I pulled a good one. My RXs were not in sync; one for extended release one week and the other immediate release the next...

5 REPLIES

Hi..I am currently taking OxyContin 20mg 3xdaily, Percocet, Zanaflex, Neurontin & Trazodone for the chronic pain tha...

4 REPLIES

My doctor recently put me on Oxycontin 15mg (twice daily) and he said that it would take a week for the medicine to reac...

2 REPLIES

I know my maroon/brick red color 60 mg oxycontin was replaced with a VERY believable look alike by a so called friend an...

I have a rx for 60 mg oxycontin and I can't find a pharmacy to fill. I just took last one and I don't want to ge...

2 REPLIES

Diagnosed with Ahlers-Danlos Syndrome almost 12 years now... I have chronic pain everywhere as all my joints are bone on...

8 REPLIES

I read some of your articles. I have knee problems, and had surgery on hold for slip disc in my lower back and in my kne...

2 REPLIES

NEED HELP PAYING FOR MY OXYCONTIN, I TAKE 80MG 3 X DAY . PLEASE HELP ## PRUDUE PHAR HELPED ME A COUPLE YEARS AGO WITH MY...

7 REPLIES