teeth and pain meds.

Hi MallardMark,

In response to your question regarding teeth problems directly from pain meds, a lot of the different pain meds will have the side effect of dry mouth. Depending on what other meds you are on, they could also be a contributing factor to dry mouth and tooth decay.

I have faithfully brushed my teeth twice per day and flossed at least once per day and I have now lost five teeth due to extremely rapid tooth decay that my dentist has partially blamed on my medications.

I have been on and off several different pain medications and other medications to help control symptoms and treat different diseases since the fall of 2003. In the summer of 2004 I was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia and I had several rounds of high dose Chemotherapy and then a Bone Marrow Transplant. The chemo and bone marrow transplant damaged nerve endings throughout my body as well as damaging mucous membranes and sweat glands. So I have been dealing with numerous issues that affect the dry mouth and tooth decay problems.

The best products that I have found to be recommended to me by my dentist are Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash. The mouthwash can be used up to five times per day and it really does help with the dry mouth issue.

I have also found it very important to avoid as much sugar as possible. I drink mostly water, if I do splurge and drink a soda it is rare and I always make sure that it is sugar free and clear. The dark colored sodas have more acid in them and will affect your teeth as well.

I would suggest discussing your issues with your dentist and see what he/she recommends. Biotene is an OTC product. It is a bit expensive, but I find that the help it provides definitely is worth the cost.

Hope this helps!
Trudy

I also have had major dental problems. My dentist has told me that he believes that due to long term steroid use I have bone loss and goodness I have spent a fortune to repair/save/replace. I honestly believe that had I known that all that $$ spent was just a quick fix ok would have opted for dentures. LOL

Makes sense to me, I have twice the problem. The neck/throat radiation I underwent in 2000, did serious damage to my teeth, especially on the left side of my mouth, where twice as much radiation was administered as the right side, that episode left me with a case of permanent dry mouth. Now that I have been on opiates for 3 full years plus now, many of my teeth on the right side of my mouth are simply falling apart. Not like normal cavities, but just breaking apart.

It's becoming an expensive battle, and one I am not winning, and I expect my dentist will soon recommend that I have all of the rest of them removed and need to have dentures, something I have worked hard to avoid.

My unofficial answer would be "yes" as well.

david

Had this conversation w/ my dentist recently as I use pain meds.

He told me dry mouth caused dental problems. And some meds cause dry mouth.

I too have had several teeth just break into 2-3 chunks - none chipped or cracked before hand. Last one that broke I have now incorporated into some newer bridgework.

Im in the ranks with Herrball, at 50 I opted to remove what was left since it was a losing expensive battle as Medicare isn't exactly on the forefront of saving teeth and from my understanding Medicaid is worse!

Like David and Diane, mine were brittle and just seem to crumble. When they removed the remaining 23 I think it was, my jawbone or the ridge that teeth sit into also crumbled and after a year or so of having bone slivers work thru the gum making sores under my denture and them twice opening my gumline to sheer it smooth I ended up having to have some bone removal and reconstruction done.

Took another year and a totally new set of dentures before I had teeth again! Still cant seem to tolerate the bottom plate though.

The dry mouth that leads to excessive thirst and especially the fact this southern girls been raised on that great ice tea made of 5 family size tea bags and half a 5lb bag of sugar to a gallon! Lol seriously though.

Opiates also tend to make us crave sugary things and not just food but mints, gum, candy? Little Debbie's? Lol

Can also cause problems with calcium balances and absorption of calcium due to our tendency to be in a chronic state of constipation or the use of meds to treat it.

Fyi, metamucil I believe it is has a brand that has added calcium, could be Citrucil and I know these dont help us alot but supplementing your usual remedy once a week or so could help.

Us women especially need to be adding calcium to daily intake.

Not to be crude but one way we used to verify or confirm a drug user/seeker was the one thing they all had in common, very very poor dental hygiene, and tooth decay. Just saying not demeaning.

Vickie,

That happened to me as well. I'm waiting on affording that 2nd pair. This pair need a reline desperately, but I've lost sooooo much bone, even with the dentures in, I still have that "sucked lemon" face!

Those bone slivers popping out are so annoying.

My bottom plate floats as well. I don't think they ever truly anchor down. But I tell ya, I would never go in for implants. I'll stick with dentures. I've learned the hard way, and the expensive way.


Merrida

I try to drink lots of liquids, and was also told that hard candy/gum (while sugary in most cases) can help stimulate the production of saliva. So I'm trying to combat the dry mouth any way I can!

I would try periodically sucking on lemons. I've done that since I was a kid. David, what happens if you suck on a citrus fruit like that, given your salivary glands have been so damaged?

Sour candies, sticking with lemon in particular can help. But I've found when they are sugar free, the artificial sweetener detracts from the potential "mouth lubricating efforts," almost coating the mouth from the chemicals.

I'd stick with regular, all natural, sour lemon drops. They make these powerful little beads that come in a tin.

Unfortunately, just drinking water (as some of us have found out) is not sufficient. We still do not produce the enzymes that are in the saliva that help break down the tartar. Just sucking on candy in general, sugar-free or not, doesn't accomplish quite the same thing (in my opinion).

It isn't purely a matter of lubrication.


Merrida