Bupe Help! I think Suboxone is rotting my teeth!

[StAy HiGh]

This is gross but suboxone is definitly rotting away my fucking teeth!!!!!! Ive been on it on and off for years and I started slowly (keyword: slowly) weaning off of it like 6 weeks ago. I was flossing today and noticed a tiny bit of black near the front of my bottom teeth in the sides inside. Obviously I freaked! Ive only had one cavity in my entire life, constantly brush and floss, so it has to be the subs. I need to make a dentist appointment, but I hate telling doctors im on subs bc a good percentage of them JUDGE blatantly and in the past ive recieved shit treatment from doctors after they found out i was a former addict. Also, if I were to need oral surgery, I am unable to take pain meds. After over a year heroin free I wouldnt want to go back, but I also wouldnt want to reinact James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" memoir.

Has anyone else had oral issues from suboxone? regret ever going on this fucking drug, im so scared that my teeth are going to fall out now and ill lose the will to live. Seems like however far past addiction I get ill always be reminded and suffering consequences from my past. Seriously freaking out

ps. obviously continuing to wean off subs is a top priority. went from 16 a day to now 12. Seems like nothing but to anyone who has been on subs for YEARS theyll tell you its a long painful process getting off this shit.

 

[marie.claire]

Congrats on 1+ years clean

I don't use subs so I can't really relate on that. I would definitely ask my dentist though, no matter how much they judge. They'll probably notice if something is up anyways, so you may as well just be honest. Good luck!

 

[stardust.hero]

Tds >> od

 

[tripnotyzm]

My teeth are pretty horrible.
I have never abused subs, but everything else under the sun has resulted in decay & black stuff & holes in the teeth at the back of my mouth.
Pretty fucked up, scary also. I know some day I am going to have to face the dentist and get it all sorted.
Fuck.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Yeah, opioids are known to rot your teeth. Although IME methadone does it way worse than shorter acting opioids like heroin. Not sure about bupe, although I assume it would have the same problem. It's apparently because opioids change your saliva pH and make your mouth produce less saliva.

Glad to hear you're doing well in your tapering Try to go to a dentist before your teeth get any worse.

 

[J.D.]

Of all the shitty decisions I've made so far.....and there have been many.....the first one I'd change is having my teeth pulled. I'm now in the process of selling my house hoping to have enough money left over to get implant surgery. Do everything you can to keep your teeth. God, I want a sandwich. Just to take a big bite of a sandwich. Would you rather be judged by a dentist (and being able to keep your teeth) or be judged by everyone who sees your big fake teeth move around while you try to talk?

Congrats on your 1+ year!

 

[Ninae]

I believe it's the sugar craving and not the drug that does it.

 

[Missykins]

I never had this problem but I would definitely see a dentist.

 

[zzITCHY420zz]

it's prob. not the suboxone (unless the sweetener isn't artificial). do you use any other drugs besides suboxone? alot of drugs make your mouth dry, and acidic so it'll fuck your teeth up.

 

[Albion]

You ought to be able to visit your dentist without telling them about the subs. All they care about is the current state of your teeth and tend to ask questions no more personal than 'do you floss, do you brush, what's your acid/sugar intake?'. By all means go. Don't feel you need to tell them anything about subs since there's a good chance the dentist won't even need to know.

 

[StAy HiGh]

thanks guys and gals for the congrats on the 1+ years! Its been a long journey! Unfortunatly I am still paying for my mistakes :-( will it ever end? Or iwll i always be reminded of how badly I fucked up in the past? I feel like ive already paid for my mistake tenfold

I am scared shitless over this. I always have had flawless teeth all my life and now this. I told my psych doctor and the bitch said "oh um well they wouldnt make suboxone if they would damage your teeth," haha well considering there are no long term studies on suboxone id like to disagree. Maybe I can sue suboxone company and make millions. Still would rather have perfect teeth than to have millions .

Word of advice: anyone who needs to go on subs, do it bc its better than dope but please do not stay on them for too long despite your legal drug dealer's (doctor) advice! this is terrorifying ! made an appointment for this wkend ill fill u guys in on what they say. FUCKING SUBS at least the needle didnt fuck my teeth up!

 

[StAy HiGh]

Since subs dissolve under ur tounge it makes sense that the front bottom teeth would get messed up. two 8mg a day on and off for years must have done it. Ive consistently been on them for over a year now though without missing a dose. For those who asked, I dont rly do any other drugs besides weed (which is not a drug) and socially drinking. brush 2-3 times a day and floss, ive only had one cavity before in my life so this is very strange

 

[StAy HiGh]

You ought to be able to visit your dentist without telling them about the subs. All they care about is the current state of your teeth and tend to ask questions no more personal than 'do you floss, do you brush, what's your acid/sugar intake?'. By all means go. Don't feel you need to tell them anything about subs since there's a good chance the dentist won't even need to know.

Thank you! Maybe I wont tell them then. But maybe they should know? because then theyll know the potential cause and can help gaurd my teeth against it in while im still weaning off. Still, ive been treated so terribly by doctors in the past after hearing that im on subs im a bit torn on whether to mention it or not

 

[axe battler]

tell the dentist. he might recommend a mouthwash or something that'll sort you right out. chances are, its sucrose in the pills. have you considered snorting or plugging? this might be a bad idea in the long run so i'd personally tell your dentist your taking meds sublingually, and it's fucking up your gnashers

 

[axe battler]

chompers. your titty biters, anything your dentist will understand

 

[StAy HiGh]

Hmm maybe there is a mouth wash or something that can help. Or a sealant protective coating he can put on? Snorting subs isnt an option and plugging ive never done w anything (but id much rather put it up my buns then rot my teeth out lol). Cant shoot it bc of naloxone, besides after a year clean picking up the needle for any reason would be suicidal. Maybe I should switch to subutex? its straight buprenorphine so maybe plugging would be possible w that. Honestly I just want to get off this medicine its taken up so much of my life, time, and money already. I take the strips and not the pills btw, I did the pills for a while then switched over bc they dissolve much quicker.

 

[Flabu]

Sorry if I am a little off topic, but weed IS A DRUG!!!!! I hate when people say weed is not a drug. THC is a mind altering chemical. There is nothing else to this argument. Weed is a drug end of story.

 

[NeighborhoodThreat]

Yep. Weed is a drug. So is sugar, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, heroin, buprenorphine, benzos, etc.

 

[Albion]

Your dentist will probably judge you more for admitting hard sugar abuse than suboxone. Far more damaging to teeth.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

it's prob. not the suboxone (unless the sweetener isn't artificial). do you use any other drugs besides suboxone? alot of drugs make your mouth dry, and acidic so it'll fuck your teeth up.

Opioids make your mouth dry and acidic and Suboxone maintenance is taking a long-acting constant dose of an opioid.

I told my psych doctor and the bitch said "oh um well they wouldnt make suboxone if they would damage your teeth,"

What an insane and ignorant thing to say! lol. That's like saying "They wouldn't make drugs with side effects".

Both my doctor and my dentist told me the methadone was responsible for my tooth decay. I never had a cavity before I went on methadone. My dentist says she sees a lot of methadone patients with bad tooth decay, even those who take excellent care of their teeth (eat healthy, brush and floss 2x a day, etc) and it's believed to be because the methadone changes your pH and saliva levels. There are also some theories that it affects your bones and teeth in other ways. Then on top of that, a lot of people coming off (heroin or other short-acting opioids) and starting on methadone or bupe crave sugar, and some methadone comes prepared with sugar, so that just adds to the decay. There haven't really been enough studies on the long-term side effects of the long-term use of methadone or buprenorphine but I do not find it at all hard to believe that it is damaging to your teeth and bones. I have gotten arthritis since being on methadone and it started in my 20s. I don't know as much about these affects with bupe but I would suspect that they would be similar to the methadone.

In addition, if you take sublingual Suboxone, it contains mannitol, which is a type of sugar, so that could definitely be causing/worsening your tooth decay. I would suggest you go to a dentist to get any damage that's already been done fixed, and then start brushing your teeth and using an extra-strength mouthwash (ask your dentist) right after every time you take your Sub in order to avoid further decay. You could also ask your doctor to switch you to a sugar-free form of buprenorphine (and keep lowering your dose). Then just make sure you take extra good care of your teeth in the future, (eat healthy, brush, floss and use mouthwash regularly and take supplements).

Don't stress about it so much! It's great you caught it early and you should be able to get it fixed relatively cheaply and easily. And now you will know to do extra things to prevent it from occurring in the future.