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Bupe Help! I think Suboxone is rotting my teeth!

I don't know if it is allowed, but here is a link to the Biotene dry mouth mouthwash (and other products I mentioned earlier). This stuff used to be Rx only but is now OTC. I am not a Dr. or a dental student like the OP is, but I do work in the medical field and I have seen this stuff help people. Here's the link: http://www.biotene.com/Products/Mouthwash.aspx
 
Swimmingdancer -
Ohhhhhhhh...I always thought OP meant other person. Yes, I was referring to ReversiblePulpitis, the soon-to-be dentist. :)
 
Less saliva may correspond to a reduced capacity to act as a buffer, but the saliva itself is not more acidic. Much like the body does with the blood, proper metabolism and homeostasis absolutely ensures that pH remains consistent... Acidosis of the saliva may happen in a very ill individual whom has much bigger problems like being near-death, but never would be an acute condition from an opiate, suboxone, or otherwise.

As I also said, the sugar and any acid found in the suboxone delivery preparation are absolutely trivial amounts in a single dose or even a single dose several times a day. There's not enough there to contribute significantly to accelerated tooth decay on its own. If someone knows they have trouble with tooth decay however, I would make it a point to brush my teeth after dosing. So, that to me is a simple solution to a trivial amount of sugar and acid.

As I also said, the description the OP gave sounds like calculus formation to me, not decay. He has yet to report a diagnosis from is dentist, but someone who is not prone to decay reporting dark stain etween lower front teeth who has not had. Cleaning in a while would indicate calculus to me, not decay.
 
ReversiblePulpitis said:
As I also said, the description the OP gave sounds like calculus formation to me, not decay. He has yet to report a diagnosis from is dentist, but someone who is not prone to decay reporting dark stain etween lower front teeth who has not had. Cleaning in a while would indicate calculus to me, not decay.
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That is a good point, the OP could be worrying over nothing. It's pretty common to get calculus in that area. I have it.
 
Excellent recommendation for this entire community. Biotene is an amazing product for saliva substitution. They offer toothpaste, mouthwash, and gel. Some folks have suffered conditions which eliminate salivary production completely. Talk about living HELL. Regardless, this is used all the time for xerostomia. Best form is the gel, applied at night before bedtime, as salivary production nearly ceases while we sleep, and most people spend at least part of the night with their mouth open, both conditions accelerting decay.

While on topic of products, mouthwash in general is overrated. Never should be considered an actual preventative measure, solely a breath-agent or to supply fluoride or pH buffer at best. Never never use wash with alcohol as it dries out oral tissues an also accelerates decay. People feel the alcohol burn and think that it must be working. Wrong. Crest pro health amount others is alcohol free. Listerine has an alcohol free formulation. Pro health rinse does have an active ingredient which helps support healthy gums if used regularly, so is not a bad product for those with gingivitis or perio disease.

Any opiate user should request prescription Flouride toothpaste or gel from their dentist. Cheap awesome prevention. If you can't get that, go to the pharmacy and purchase ACT products, like their mouth rinse with fluoride. A Must for opiate users and the only time a rinse is good for decay prevention.

As far as toothpaste goes... ACT brand, Colgate total, crest pro health, or sensodyne for those with sensitivity as it has a numbing agent that kicks in After 2 weeks of continued use.
 
YOure exactly correct, lower front teeth are the most prone to calculus. Most people get it caked in between them, which is when you feel the hygienist scaling away back there, and why you can feel the spaces between your lower front teeth after a cleaning which usually feels weird after a sheet of calculus was covering them up. My money is that it's dark calculus and the OP is wigging over nothing
 
Yep, all of us should use Biotene or fluoride rinse every single night. Otherwise regular rinse is garbage unless youre treating your gums and that's a stretch even.
 
some of you guys say its the sugar, while that may be true. I really feel its from nodding off so many nights without remembering to brush my teeth first....
 
RegisteredStoneeer said:
some of you guys say its the sugar, while that may be true. I really feel its from nodding off so many nights without remembering to brush my teeth first....
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Um.

No one ever discounted NOT brushing your teeth as a cause for tooth decay.

However that is another issue behind opiate use and tooth decay. It's not the actual opiate, but it's the bad habits that go along with it. You nailed a big one, nodding off without brushing your teeth. Even for those who are too defensive to admit bad concomitant habits to opiate use/abuse, this is an obvious contributing factor.
 
Dancer, I forgot to reply to something.

+1 Xylitol! Proven to fight decay. It intervenes with bacterial colonization and acid production. Good on you for knowing about Xylitol. Anyone with opiate induced xerostomia should also be chewing gum (xylitol gum) throughout the day. Promotes saliva production.

If brushing is not an option, definitely rinse mouth with water after eating/drinking anything with ANY form of sugar or acid. Things like meat, nuts, and cheese actually dont allow bacteria an edge, so those are teeth-friendly foods. But hell, even use your finger while swishing to wipe off teeth. It's all about interfering with bacterial adhesion to the teeth.

Limit intake of sugar laden foods or soda to the time right before you brush. Eat/drink these things as quickly as you can. Do NOT sip on a soda all day. THis just keeps your enamel demineralized and softened for as long as you sip. Chug it, and ALWAYS use a straw to keep it away from your teeth. Brush or at least rinse with water immediately after. Or swish with flouride rinse.
Every single sip of soda demineralizes enamel and acidifies saliva for 20 minutes before pH of saliva can buffer it back to neutral. Each sip of that soda, even diet (remember: acid), makes your teeth an orgy-fest for decay causing bacteria. Sip on that soda or multiple sodas for X amount of time... just think, 20 minutes after each sip, your teeth are screaming in acid laden agony. So, again, sip responsibly - with a straw. or better yet, chug it.

Flossing is SO important. If you were ever trapped on an island and could only have either a brush or floss, you'd want the floss. This is because of the nasty bacteria that hide out in between teeth. This is not only the easiest place for cavities (in bw back teeth) but flossing disrupts the bacteria that sit under the gumline, the ones that cause gingivitis, periodontal disease, and bone loss of the jaw.

Brush at least 2x/day, better yet after EVERY meal. toothpaste optional for mid-day brushings. Floss at least 1x/day, always at nighttime. Second priority would be first thing in the morning as you wake.

Don't wait til after breakfast to brush/floss if there's a chance that you WONT after breakfast. Since saliva production nearly halts in our sleep, that means that bacteria colonize like crazy while we sleep. Plaque is millions of bacteria stacked on top of each other, not food debris. Use your fingernail against a front tooth when you wake in the morning. That white/yellow plaque shit is literally 1 million bacteria stuck to your fingernail. That's why you need to brush in the AM -- people will say well.. "i brushed before bed and didnt eat or drink anything while I was asleep!", yeah - logically sounds legit, but bacteria will colonize regardless. even without eating sugar, we still leech sugar into our saliva from our blood. this is why we have a constant blood sugar reading. this is why uncontrolled diabetics can have gum disease. their shitty blood sugar levels leech our a crazy amount of sugar into the gums. to top it off, diabetics immune system blows.
 
Hello,

I too was a long-term Suboxone user. I took 3-8mg sublingual tablets per day for over 3 years. And I noticed after the first year or so that my teeth, which weren't perfect, but not that bad, were literally beginning to disintegrate. I have now lost over 5 teeth because of this drug. My dentist noticed it and when i first did a google search and found this site and others like it, I stopped taking the Suboxone immediately. I am now trying to get my teeth fixed/replaced, and I've found a lawyer who thinks that I have a case against the manufacturer because of the lack of warning against this severe side effect of long-term usage of the drug. If anyone out there is willing to step forward and help me, tell their story and likely give a deposition to the lawyer, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I'm actually surprised that a class-action lawsuit hasn't been brought against Reckit for this gross negligence in notifying people of this effect. I'm 100% sure that they are aware of it by now. If you can help me, please contact me ASAP.

Thank you and good luck to everyone.

~Mark Schamber
 
Hello,

I too was a long-term Suboxone user. I took 3-8mg sublingual tablets per day for over 3 years. And I noticed after the first year or so that my teeth, which weren't perfect, but not that bad, were literally beginning to disintegrate. I have now lost over 5 teeth because of this drug. My dentist noticed it and when i first did a google search and found this site and others like it, I stopped taking the Suboxone immediately. I am now trying to get my teeth fixed/replaced, and I've found a lawyer who thinks that I have a case against the manufacturer because of the lack of warning against this severe side effect of long-term usage of the drug. And yes, I know all about "dry mouth", I've been taking high doses of opiates for years before I was put on Suboxone and I'm still taking them years after I stopped taking Suboxone. And no, I wasn't put on Suboxone for opiate abuse. It was determined to be an efffective pain medication for my chronic lower-back pain.If anyone out there is willing to step forward and help me, tell their story and likely give a deposition to the lawyer, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I'm actually surprised that a class-action lawsuit hasn't been brought against Reckit for this gross negligence in notifying people of this effect. I'm 100% sure that they are aware of it by now. If you can help me, please contact me ASAP.

Thank you and good luck to everyone.

~Mark Schamber
 
Hey Stay High...I don't think its the sub...or opiates to be honest. My teeth are messed up,and mine were flawless too. I am flipping out, just like you, and horrified to go to the dentist. I found a good one though...and it says in their mission statement NOT to be embarassed, etc. The hell with embarassed, get your smile back. I miss mine too...Im soooo self conscious. I need alot of work, and before this past August was really worried about how on earth I was going to afford the dental work...I inherited some money, and it's going to my teeth. I say we shamelessly go to the dentist, and get our flawless smile back...

And ignore the ignorance of others....I saw the comments...just ridiculous. That includes your Dr. Oh, and I noticed the problems w my teeth after I had my daughter, and I was not on opiates then. So, whatever the reason, what matters is that we go to the dentist. :D
 
I also am not trying be argumentative...I can feel tooth pain through opiates. I take them for pain management...I can feel tooth pain through everything. I'm not lazy...I do agree with not going to dentist often though. But, I did find out after not having many cavities, I suddenly had many after I did go to the dentist...I had a standing appt every week, got alot of work done~not cosmetic~I mean root canals, etc...and my back teeth still broke...after all of that. What I'm saying to Stay High is that whatever the reason, now isn't as important, and just going and getting them fixed. I'm horrified too...to the point of breaking down in tears about it sometimes. But, I've decided I'd rather have my teeth back...and if the denist has the audacity to judge me, when I'm giving him thousands of dollars to fix my teeth...I'll go to another dentist. Remember, like I will, Stay High, that we have supportive people telling us to go...so while I'm cringing as he looks into my mouth, Im going to try and hold onto that...and when it's done...finally smile at people again.
 
maybe as opiate addicts we dont take care of our teeth due to grips of addicition, i also heard opiates deplete calcium, causing rotting?
 
Its likely effecting your enamel. If you tend to brush your teeth shortly after taking subs, dont. Wait an hour or two after taking subs because it can soften the enamel of your teeth and then brushing with the flouride weakens the enamel more so. This also goes for acidic foods and if you happen to vomit for any reason.
Also, start using enamel building mouth wash, or mouthwash to help with dry mouth, and enamel protecting tooth paste, and take it easy on the flossing for a bit until you figure out a dentist situation.
This would be my best bet honestly. I highly fear the dentist so i try to look up info to take care of my teeth to avoid trips to the dentist :x lol
but yeah, youll eventually need to work up the courage to go to the dentist, otherwise itll just get worse and worse and youll end up with no teeth and full on dentures by the time your in your 40s like my mother did due to her drug use. If you tell them your on subs theyll know the appropiate course of action and will give you probably tramadol
 
Or rx strength motrin and youll just have to man up and deal with the pains unfortunately, but seriously, take care of it now or you will most definitely regret it later! But i totally understand not wanting to go lol. Good luck!
 
Suboxone didn't rot my teeth, but did cause other oral problems. After 2 years of taking it (32mg to 16mg @ time of problem) I developed a calcium deposit in a saliva duct under my tounge. I didn't know what it was at first but was painful, and whenever I would salivate more than usual (like when you get nauscous, or in anticipation of good food, etc...) My saliva duct would get blocked by the calcium deposit (which wen removed looked like a little rock) and the calcium deposit would start buldging out of the skkin under my tounge from the pressure of saliva behind it. It would make my eyes tear and close shut uncontrollably w/ pain, and looked like I had an alien trying to escape from under my tounge, I mean it looked freaky when this would happen.

A doctor finallly removed it and all was well, but I know it was from the suboxone (was using the 8mg pills)
 
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