"pill4pain" <med4all@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1131137402.919998.29700@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...> It seems I cant get a staraight ansewr on this ,some yes some no ,some> hadr to tell ,could be other meds as well ,,any opions would help> ,thank you>
Paul T. Holland 5 November 2005 02:37:27 [ permanent link ]
the most probable thing that is happening is that methadone usage can have a side effect of causing 'dry mouth'. a reduction in saliva production which of itself almost always leads to an increase in tooth decay
the bacteria causing decay are not being reduced/held at bay, by the now reduced saliva. irrc, dry mouth is listed about #6 down the list of side effects.
other meds can create the same problem
hth
paul
pill4pain wrote:
It seems I cant get a staraight ansewr on this ,some yes some no ,some> hadr to tell ,could be other meds as well ,,any opions would help> ,thank you
Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste can help with dry mouth. i got mine at wlaly-mart.
-- lynn "Paul T. Holland" <pholland@bellatlantic.net> wrote in message news:436BF203.E7AC6309@bellatlantic.net...> the most probable thing that is happening is that methadone usage can have> a side effect of causing 'dry mouth'. a reduction in saliva production> which of itself almost always leads to an increase in tooth decay>
the bacteria causing decay are not being reduced/held at bay, by the now> reduced saliva. irrc, dry mouth is listed about #6 down the list of side> effects.>
other meds can create the same problem>
paul>
pill4pain wrote:>
It seems I cant get a staraight ansewr on this ,some yes some no ,some> > hadr to tell ,could be other meds as well ,,any opions would help> > ,thank you>
On Fri, 4 Nov 2005 19:12:36 -0500, "lightlady" <me@privacy.net> wrote:
Biotene mouthwash and toothpaste can help with dry mouth. i got mine at>wlaly-mart.
No matter what I did, no matter what mouth moistening techniques, drops, losenges (sp?), rinses, constantly drinking water - whatever, my teeth started breaking off and ultimately rotted out within a couple of years. No one could offer me any kind of help or anything that would stop it. Once they started to go, they went pretty fast. Unfortunately. According to the xrays, the problems go way below the gum area. In two weeks I get what's left pulled and am getting full dentures. Never in a million years did I think this would happen, as I took really good care of my teeth and lots of work done on them. I suspect genetics may have somethingto do with it, but frankly, no one has been able to give me any answers. And now, that I've lost them, I haven't pursued the issue.
Oh my godness Lynn ,thats where I am ,teeth beautiful straight teeth shot to he double toothpick in a matter of 4 -5 years sice I began methadone ,here we only can methadone via suspension ,no pills as yet ,dont ask I dont know ,Canada ,actually I havent asked lately --I was afraid ,I would get thses responsise but how to convince docs .She looked at me like I was on drugs(lol) when I mentioned I thought It was the methadone rotting my teeth
My fingers dont works so well unless I soak them in parrifin wax for 1/2 hour pls.disregard spell mistakes --thank for input as well
On 5 Nov 2005 13:51:20 -0800, "pill4pain" <med4all@hotmail.com> wrote:
Oh my godness Lynn ,thats where I am ,teeth beautiful straight teeth>shot to he double toothpick in a matter of 4 -5 years sice I began>methadone ,here we only can methadone via suspension ,no pills as yet>,dont ask I dont know ,Canada ,actually I havent asked lately --I was>afraid ,I would get thses responsise but how to convince docs .She>looked at me like I was on drugs(lol) when I mentioned I thought It was>the methadone rotting my teeth>
My fingers dont works so well unless I soak them in parrifin wax for>1/2 hour pls.disregard spell mistakes --thank for input as well
I'm so sorry. If you were here, I'd cry with you. I'm just now getting my teeth "fixed." Actually, in about 2 weeks I'm getting the remainder of 23 teeth pulled and will be getting full dentures. So, it's not really getting them fixed, but merely getting myself more presentable lookng. I don't think I've smiled - really smiled in several years. It'll be nice to do so again.
I actually didn't know it was the methadone, as I said in my previous post. The only thing I can suggest, is to get ahold of some of those articles that say methadone wrecks your teeth and give them to your doc. Unfortunately, even if your doc agrees the methadone may be the cause, you won't be able to get medical ins. to pay for getting them "fixed." I'm not sure what'll happen if you get switched. I have this bad feeling that once the start to go the damage has been done and a change of medication won't matter. Do you have a regular dentist? If so, what does s/he say?
On Wed, 09 Nov 2005 14:50:24 GMT, lynn <lynn@earth.net> wrote:
On 5 Nov 2005 13:51:20 -0800, "pill4pain" <med4all@hotmail.com> wrote:>
Oh my godness Lynn ,thats where I am ,teeth beautiful straight teeth>>shot to he double toothpick in a matter of 4 -5 years sice I began>>methadone ,here we only can methadone via suspension ,no pills as yet>>,dont ask I dont know ,Canada ,actually I havent asked lately --I was>>afraid ,I would get thses responsise but how to convince docs .She>>looked at me like I was on drugs(lol) when I mentioned I thought It was>>the methadone rotting my teeth>>
My fingers dont works so well unless I soak them in parrifin wax for>>1/2 hour pls.disregard spell mistakes --thank for input as well>
I'm so sorry. If you were here, I'd cry with you. I'm just now>getting my teeth "fixed." Actually, in about 2 weeks I'm getting the>remainder of 23 teeth pulled and will be getting full dentures. So,>it's not really getting them fixed, but merely getting myself more>presentable lookng. I don't think I've smiled - really smiled in>several years. It'll be nice to do so again.>
I actually didn't know it was the methadone, as I said in my previous>post. The only thing I can suggest, is to get ahold of some of those>articles that say methadone wrecks your teeth and give them to your>doc. Unfortunately, even if your doc agrees the methadone may be the>cause, you won't be able to get medical ins. to pay for getting them>"fixed." I'm not sure what'll happen if you get switched. I have this>bad feeling that once the start to go the damage has been done and a>change of medication won't matter. Do you have a regular dentist? If>so, what does s/he say?>
So sorry,>Lynn
What an excellent point the two of you have brought up!
I wonder what a poll would tell us about those who take opiods of any kind and severe dental problems? Like you, I once had a nice smile... but am looking at the options now. An "informal" poll, IOW asking most of the people I correspond with who take pain meds reveals that most of them are in serious straits as well, and not from neglect as many dentists would like to convince us.
My dentist said that even people who take anti-histamines for years have problems because of dry mouth, which I assume is the same reason opiates ruin teeth as well. It certainly *should* be covered as a medical problem, but it would no doubt be a precident.
On 7 Nov 2005 15:18:36 -0800, "PC in UK" <aune26@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:
I assume you get your methadone in a liquid form or mixture. If it is>anything like the mixture they give out here in the UK, it contains an>large amount of sugar. I don't know if your pharmacists makes it up>themselves or if it is pre-made by Martindale or some other company.>Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you can have sugar-free mixture, as it>is made for diabetics. Your pharmacist should be able to make up the>mixture without sugar or as a consentrated mixture (for example 10mg in>1ml, so every 100mg is only 10ml). A warning-it tastes much worse>without the sugar, but I think you will find that this is the cause of>your tooth decay. Pills or ampoules are the only other answer, but it>sounds like your doctor needs some education. Good luck.
Not totally sure, but I 'think' that most CPers get their methadone in pill form. I suspect the liquid form may only be given at the clinics for the erst-while heroin users. Frankly, I don't think the powers that be would trust people at home to have the liquid. They could easily take too much. Do they give the liquid for people to take at home?
What an excellent point the two of you have brought up!>
I wonder what a poll would tell us about those who take opiods of any>kind and severe dental problems? Like you, I once had a nice smile...>but am looking at the options now.>An "informal" poll, IOW asking most of the people I correspond with>who take pain meds reveals that most of them are in serious straits>as well, and not from neglect as many dentists would like to convince>us.>
My dentist said that even people who take anti-histamines for years>have problems because of dry mouth, which I assume is the same>reason opiates ruin teeth as well. It certainly *should* be covered>as a medical problem, but it would no doubt be a precident.
Sure would have helped me out! I wonder the same thing. I also wonder how steroids impacts the teeth since bones thin when one has taken them for a while. theeth are are basically made of the same thing.
I've been on methadone for about a year now and one thing I've noticed is increased sensitivity (i.e. pain) during teeth cleanings. My dentist started using some gel that dulls the gum sensitivity and that has helped a lot. But after reading this message thread, I see that I can probably look forward to increase teeth decay.
The comments about dry mouth and the decreased saliva sound right on. My dentist also recommended Biotene early on and I should get back on it. I stopped early on because I thought that Biotene might be causing the increased gum sensitivity, but that didn't help the problem.
I am 45 and was on Methadone for 6 years. My teeth were in great shape before I went on Methadone. Now, they are all gone. I had to have them all pulled. They literally flaked away to almost nothing. I am having a hard time getting used to dentures and since I am disabled and am home all the time, I usually just don't use my dentures and eat soggy food. If I had known then what I know now, I would have never gone on the methadone. I think the constant pain would be better than having no teeth at age 45....
John
"pill4pain" <med4all@hotmail.com> wrote in message news:1131227480.312559.157550@o13g2000cwo.googlegroups.com...> Oh my godness Lynn ,thats where I am ,teeth beautiful straight teeth> shot to he double toothpick in a matter of 4 -5 years sice I began> methadone ,here we only can methadone via suspension ,no pills as yet> ,dont ask I dont know ,Canada ,actually I havent asked lately --I was> afraid ,I would get thses responsise but how to convince docs .She> looked at me like I was on drugs(lol) when I mentioned I thought It was> the methadone rotting my teeth>
My fingers dont works so well unless I soak them in parrifin wax for> 1/2 hour pls.disregard spell mistakes --thank for input as well>
<manning9854@bellsouth.net> wrote in message news:2Z2ef.15$ZC.5@bignews5.bellsouth.net> I am 45 and was on Methadone for 6 years. My teeth were in great> shape before I went on Methadone. Now, they are all gone. I had to> have them all pulled. They literally flaked away to almost nothing. I > am having a hard time getting used to dentures and since I am> disabled and am home all the time, I usually just don't use my> dentures and eat soggy food. If I had known then what I know now, I> would have never gone on the methadone. I think the constant pain> would be better than having no teeth at age 45....> John
You should not have to live on soggy food. If your dentures fit properly they shouldn't cause you any discomfort. If you're just having trouble getting used to them then you need to push yourself to use them and get used to them. If you go around without dentures all the time it's going to change the shape of your face and you're not going to like the results.
"Juba" <juba@XmasterjubaX.com> wrote in message news:dlampv$9h5$2@pita.alt.net...> <manning9854@bellsouth.net> wrote in message> news:2Z2ef.15$ZC.5@bignews5.bellsouth.net> > I am 45 and was on Methadone for 6 years. My teeth were in great> > shape before I went on Methadone. Now, they are all gone. I had to> > have them all pulled. They literally flaked away to almost nothing. I> > am having a hard time getting used to dentures and since I am> > disabled and am home all the time, I usually just don't use my> > dentures and eat soggy food. If I had known then what I know now, I> > would have never gone on the methadone. I think the constant pain> > would be better than having no teeth at age 45....> > John>
You should not have to live on soggy food. If your dentures fit properly> they shouldn't cause you any discomfort. If you're just having trouble> getting used to them then you need to push yourself to use them and get> used to them. If you go around without dentures all the time it's going> to change the shape of your face and you're not going to like the> results.
...what a stupid freakin' response Juba . Get out of here .>
I think Lynn asked if they give the liquid form of methadone to people who take it home. The answer is yes. I take home a one month supply at a time. The bottles are clearly labeled as to how many milligrams, so only a moron could take too much. Each dose is in a separate bottle also.
I am a 30 yr old female who is having the exact same problems. The one question I have is: Does anyone who's written on here have major uncontrollable sugar cravings like I do? I realize sugar will decay anyones teeth, but I brush at least 3 times a day and I still have 12 teeth that have cavities at this time, that I'm getting fixed next week, one of which cannot be saved and will need to be pulled. My right bottom molar actually cracked in half below the gumline and I'm almost positive there was no cavity in that tooth before it cracked like that. Why isn't there any information on the cause of these issues? I've only been on Methadone for 3 years and according to the stories on here I won't have any teeth left in a couple years. If thats the case, I'm getting off this stuff as soon as I can. I refuse to spend $5000.00 getting my teeth fixed to just have it happen again. I do have the dry mouth issue also, but according to the doctors I see, that isn't a side effect of methadone. I beg to differ, since I never had a dry mouth before I went on the methadone.
I used methadone (liquid) for 2 years and repeatedly asked what the component parts were only to be rebuffed every time with an answer of "I don't know" from every one I asked. I had perfect teeth and it seemed as if over night my teeth disapeared-they are only stubbs, for the most part, and I am {censored} mad about it. I had perfectly straight teeth, beautiful smile, and now I cannot smile at all. It is time for a class action law suit to go after these lying bas...... and it looks as if there are enough to initiate one. Although i am not a lawyer I would be willing to help find one to handle a case such as this. It would cost, and this is only a guess, around $20,000 to put veneers on my front teeth and repair the damage done to others. And although I am 58 i am not ready for false teeth; the thought of using them makes me sick. Frank
I have been on methadone for 8 years now and my teeth seem to just be falling apart. My clinic told me that the tooth decay problem was a myth and methadone should not affect your teeth. But, I keep hearing that it does and I have proof of my own...I think once they start getting so messed up as to crack in half when you eat something as inane as toast that you are screwed....we should all get together and start a class action suit against the pharmaceutical company(ies)...it is probably too late or they have some kind of protection so that people who are in methadone clinics cannot sue them or something...i dunno...do you have any other side effects such as joint pain and swelling? The teeth are the worst though...I mean they are just so brittle its like you don't even want to eat anything for fear they will break or fall out...
