Minocycline (tooth discoloration)

Is the tooth itself discoloring, or is it just getting stained? I was afraid my teeth were permanently discolored (they almost looked like they were growing black or gray fuzz), but the dental hygienist was able to scrape it off).

If just that tooth is discolored, it might mean something else is going on with that tooth, and you might want to talk to your dentist.

Thanks for the comments guys! I emailed my dentist to get their advice. I also emailed my doctor to see what they think. It's hard for me to tell what's going on with the tooth, it looks like discoloration at this point. Plus I don't like that tingling I'm getting with that specific tooth, the other teeth are getting some tingling but nothing like this one, it's kind of an ominous sign to me. And I'm positive it's linked to the minocycline, it acts up about 1 hour after I dose the drug.

Psilociraptor, were you having issues with the knotweed? or were you getting worried that taking it for a long time was increasing your risk of this issue? has Buhner ever addressed it? I'd be curious to hear his take on the potential risks.

I think what is most difficult is the mental fatigue of dealing with setbacks and not having linear simple progressions to get better. I tend to get apocalyptically anxious with these types of setbacks, especially when I still have some herx going on I'm more emotionally all over the place. I'm sure I'll settle down, it's just moments like this that crystallize my frustrations and fears.

The minocycline has turned my front teeth a faint blueish-grey color.

What color, sebreg?


From what I've read, it's different than the doxy. The doxy causes a brownish stain that cleans off easily.
But the mino stain is deeper - not on the surface and cleaning doesn't touch it.

I think it will most likely dissipate with time.

I also found articles that it stains the thyroid a blueish/grey too.

Hey you guys are awesome. I appreciate the responses and insights. It helps me mentally to talk about this and work my way through what decisions I have to make.

The mino makes me herx my head off, anxiety is pretty strong mix in that, and I've been all over the place with worry once I keyed into this potential issue. What really bothers me is the tingling in my teeth, and it's particularly strong tingling/discomfort in that front tooth, it's almost like it's letting me know that something is going on. What's even more annoying about the sensation is it puts my teeth in the forefront of my mind, which makes it harder to ignore my worries. It's a bit bizarre, I've never had that particular type of tingling response in my teeth to an antimicrobial (not that I can recall).

Yeah, it seems like it is slight graying. I think I'm going to wait for my family to be back in town in a few days. It's hard for me to gauge on my own, although one of my friends did seem to think there was a change in color. At least with family they might be able to gauge it better than I can on my own, and they could gauge how quickly it is changing. My mind is sort of off-kilter when I'm herxing at high level like I've been on this med which only adds to my combustibility and it does a number on my judgement.

Girlie and mpost, how long were you on mino for? I'm supposed to be on it for 2 months. I heard back from the doc, unfortunately the two options he is giving me based on the current protocol are mino or doxy. Doxy does nothing for me at this point (I also think it gave me black staining, which wasn't as problematic and came off).

Vitamin c may help prevent the issue, but I was on liposomal vitamin c already. I wonder if something like larger dose vit c IV would have better chance of working...

My debate is whether I try and stick it out and see how things develop while doing what I can to hedge with vitamin c. And if teeth get bad can stop or try and do whatever dental work I can later on to fix it up as best as possible. One of those darned if I do, darned if I don't situations.

IMO opinion- what good is having great teeth color when you feel so crappy you can't really live life to the fullest?? but yeah, what a strange and frustrating side effect concern, right?

I am right there with you Seberg with Doxy not doing much for me and Minocycline being very effective.

I'm not as concerned about the discoloration of my teeth...ie they can be capped later one... but the possibility of the thyroid (and I even read bones) being discolored is concerning.


But, I do keep taking it- but now only 6 days per month.

sebreg said...
6 days a month seems like a good hedge. Were you on it more consistently before?

That's true about the teeth

The black thyroid (and link to cancer) is scary. Vitamin c can potentially help prevent that. But I wish we had better information on this issue. In the grand scheme 2 months isn't a super long time but of course there are risks with anything.

For me I have to weigh the drugs that remain effective for me vs their potential side effects. Minocycline is almost too effective for me to pass up.

I will probably be on the forum quite a bit as I keep treating. There is something so reassuring about this forum, the support is always amazing. And I know everyone gets it, the hard choices and decisions we have to make. And sometimes the difficulty enduring certain treatments.

It doesn't help though that with these type of herxes my anxiety skyrockets, and of course it shoots right towards the fears of the various side effects of the meds.

The teeth and other discoloring reports/studies were generally with long-term usage. ( maybe those taking it for acne?)

Yes, from July, 2015 to end of 2016 I was on it pretty much daily...except for a few short breaks.

Now, with the J clinic, it's only about 6 days per month. (M/W/F - 2 weeks on, 2 off)

There's not really a specific article I can point to as there are many of them. I initially saw it in David Hoffman's book "medical herbalism" but online you can find many papers. Look up melanosis coli anthroquinone laxative or any combination of those words. It's not a proven harmful condition but it is due to death of intestinal cells which to me doesn't seem benign long term. I'm not saying it's dangerous to use but since I'd been on it one year it seemed time to move on to something else

sebreg said...

Missouri said...
IMO opinion- what good is having great teeth color when you feel so crappy you can't really live life to the fullest?? but yeah, what a strange and frustrating side effect concern, right?

I am right there with you Seberg with Doxy not doing much for me and Minocycline being very effective.

Hehe, as I've thought about things, talked it through, that's basically the position I've come around to. I don't even know if the tooth discoloration is significant at this point, plus if I get issues I can look at doing work on my teeth to try and fix it up a bit.

I was herxing like mad and it really throws my judgement off. Given I've run the gamut of meds and this drug is one of the few that still has such a level of effectiveness, I think it's worth trying to stick out the course.

What I may do is try an initial framework of taking the drug 5 days in a row and then giving myself a 2 day breather. Otherwise it is too overwhelming, the level of herx is very intense. These are the kind of herxes that have me spinning, like I can't tell up from down, I get so anxious and scared. And I can't detox my way out of these strong type herxes (doesn't mean I don't detox, but I don't get much relief from it). I'm currently on the 2nd day of my break and I can tell my body is regaining it's center, I feel calmer. But dang, this med does a number on me! it must hit the lyme/bart flush in the mouth.

Do you get a lot of herx issues with the minocycline? My head feels pretty crushed, I do get neuropathy as well, the weirdest most unnerving one is the tooth-tingling but I think that is related to the effect of the med on the pathogens (a type of neuropathy maybe). Absolutely surprised as to how strong it hits me given all the therapies I've been through...

I do not really herx on anything. When I am symptomatic and start an antibiotic my symptoms start to fade away after about 4-8 days on the antibiotic. I only seem to improve and not herx. I think I am lucky that my body de-toxes well on its own. I also think my pathogen load never reached high enough levels to get to a herxing position.

Missouri said...

sebreg said...

Missouri said...
IMO opinion- what good is having great teeth color when you feel so crappy you can't really live life to the fullest?? but yeah, what a strange and frustrating side effect concern, right?

I am right there with you Seberg with Doxy not doing much for me and Minocycline being very effective.

Hehe, as I've thought about things, talked it through, that's basically the position I've come around to. I don't even know if the tooth discoloration is significant at this point, plus if I get issues I can look at doing work on my teeth to try and fix it up a bit.

I was herxing like mad and it really throws my judgement off. Given I've run the gamut of meds and this drug is one of the few that still has such a level of effectiveness, I think it's worth trying to stick out the course.

What I may do is try an initial framework of taking the drug 5 days in a row and then giving myself a 2 day breather. Otherwise it is too overwhelming, the level of herx is very intense. These are the kind of herxes that have me spinning, like I can't tell up from down, I get so anxious and scared. And I can't detox my way out of these strong type herxes (doesn't mean I don't detox, but I don't get much relief from it). I'm currently on the 2nd day of my break and I can tell my body is regaining it's center, I feel calmer. But dang, this med does a number on me! it must hit the lyme/bart flush in the mouth.

Do you get a lot of herx issues with the minocycline? My head feels pretty crushed, I do get neuropathy as well, the weirdest most unnerving one is the tooth-tingling but I think that is related to the effect of the med on the pathogens (a type of neuropathy maybe). Absolutely surprised as to how strong it hits me given all the therapies I've been through...

I do not really herx on anything. When I am symptomatic and start an antibiotic my symptoms start to fade away after about 4-8 days on the antibiotic. I only seem to improve and not herx. I think I am lucky that my body de-toxes well on its own. I also think my pathogen load never reached high enough levels to get to a herxing position.

That's fantastic! That's absolutely the ideal situation and response. I think the people who have more difficulty with these pathogens tend to have immune system genetics that make them more susceptible to the toxins, along with trouble in their detox genetics.

Psilociraptor used a good analogy that I've always liked:
"The way I think of it is like your detox system is a bucket with a small hole in the bottom. If you're filling it before it can drain it may still take a while to fill up. But once you're at the top every small drop causes it to spill over."

I think the combination of high pathogen load and difficulty detoxing makes my bucket (or what I consider more like a thimble) fill up and spill over super quickly!

Donjr said...
Calcium and milk causes it cannot take calcium or milk withe tetracyclines period or before age 12

Calcium and milk causes what?