I have upper dentures and front botttom teeth are my own no back teeth on bottom. i have over bite that killed the nerves on top front teeth thats what killed mine plus i have tmj .hugs minnie

minpain,
this past year i lost two crowns. one was the mistake of the endodontist (root canal) he did the wrong tooth, but really that just cost me money. The tooth next to it probally could not have been saved and feel out because of fractured root. Same side did this also a month ago. This crown was filled with decay. I have cleanings three times a year. Scary.

just can't let my last post go without clarification. 1. rninpain not minpain. 2. I lost two crowns both back molars. Left and right upper.
3. my answer is yes I have to give thought to pain meds or my condition causing this.

I had avascular necrosis for one year caused by hip pinning that had failed union. No blood flow=bone death as in crumbling. Much pain and on vicodin for that whole year. Still am for that matter. Two surgeries, one being major, in a year with general anthesetic is brutal on the body. My second surgery was to repair as in replace my poor broken hip.

Yes. This appears to be common for a variety of reasons.

Cortisol levels increase in people with high levels of pain which can cause a decrease in calcium in bones and teeth. In addition, medications cause a decrease in saliva production.

There is some thought that continued levels of pain can cause a decrease in insulin and blood sugar levels which cause the person to crave sweets and starches. Chronic pain also causes changes in the immune system.

Seems that it is inevitable that people with constant, uncontrolled pain will find an increase in tooth decay, and that it may be both the pain and the medications causing the problem. It is imperative that dental hygiene be of utmost importance. Floss daily; brush frequently. Stay well hydrated.

I am not sure it has anything to do with your pain issues it is probably a different problem I would see a dentist and see what he/she thinks

I have heard of this before, but I just went for a check-up around 3 weeks ago, and I don't even have a cavity. I used to have issues with dry mouth at night, and my Doc gave me a script for Salagen and that took care of the issue.
I have also seen products at the pharmacy for this issue, so if any of you are having this issue, you might want to talk to your Dentist, because lack of saliva or dry mouth can create tooth decay.

I do find that when I push myself to hard I clench my teeth. Also, pain meds and other types of meds can cause dry mouth. Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash are very good for that and very gentle on your mouth but are pricey. I'm going to ck. around for online coupons and if I find any will share info w/ anyone else who uses it.

I can't blame all my dental problems on pain,but it doesn't help. I've been lazy with dental care I clench my teeth in my sleep and Chemo, and radation didn't help.Now I'm trying to get used to lower dentures.I got Friday. and the dentist isn't happy with my bite. So it's back to dentist Tues.

I have suffered from chronic back pain since 2007 and my teeth are all bad now. They were in pretty good shape till about a year ago and now they get abcessed one by one and I end up having to get them pulled. I am glad to know that it could be connected to my pain issues and meds.

Does anybody remember posting the chronic pain handbook on here, there is great info in there about this

:( It's probably opiates. There was a famous case involving fentanyl lollipops. It also is possible that the underlying cause of chronic pain makes the teeth more susceptible to damage. For what it's worth, my teeth might be a little fragile and maybe I grind a little, but I also practice good oral hygiene and don't use pain meds - my teeth are almost perfect. Free tip: wait maybe 10-15 minutes after eating before brushing, to avoid dental erosion.

I am not aware of a DIRECT correlation or causality between pain, or opiates regarding tooth decay. Definitely a factor with amphetamines...but that is generally not the issue for CP (certainly not directly).

Tooth loss apparently is a listed side effect of fentanyl. Another possibility is that chronic pain can lead to tooth loss through vomiting.

Have you been checked for Sjogrens Syndrome? It drys out your joints which causes pain, dry eyes and dry mouth. Saliva protects your teeth from decay. Might ask your dentist or doctor about it.

One of the major reasons is due to the dry mouth we get from medications I was told by my dentist; not until after several years in chronic pain and on meds that he knew about.
I was told to start using Biotene Mouthwash and a mouth spray. It doesn't taste like & isn't like Listerine at all which with the alcohol in it is drying in itself & esp at night when I use the mouthwash at bedtime, it truly helps my mouth keep some moisture in it.
Biotene has a toothpaste, mouthwash, mouth spray you can carry with you, and other products that do help.