hey everyone. sorry not checking in more often. been struggling with being depressed off/on( its not a PAWS thing its a life long "my life sucks a$$" thing.)
to anyone who doesn't know me i stopped methadone 164 days ago. I had started taking it illicitly in or around 2011) because my dealer ran out of my normal stuff and then i realized my habit was costing me (i ended up losing my apartment cause i couldn't pay rent cause i was spending all my money on drugs) so i signed up for methadone treatment program. it was good for me in the beginning (i'm not debating that) but i felt as though i suffered from being on it too long and i've missed out on a lot and let MM be my excuse for not getting certain things done. Its a HUGE relief to be off it now. NO MORE STANDING IN LINE AT THAT AWFUL CLINIC!!!!!!
And I am now truly understanding what it has done to my body in the meantime. (<<<if anyone wants to know what i'm experiencing in these terms just shoot me a post)
anyways, I felt i needed to check in and let everyone know i have made up my mind about methadone and how it affects teeth....
just had dental check up other day and i have SIX cavities... AND an exposed root from receding gums ....and one of the cavities is located UNDER a crown(that alone will cost me out of pocket $800!!!!)
i had gotten my braces off right before going on methadone and i had NO CAVITIES and GREAT dental health ( paid for my own braces so i take care of my investment)
I haven't been to dentist while on methadone for various reasons but I TOOK GOOD CARE OF MY TEETH. I am so mad!!! to anyone who says methadone doesn't screw up teeth is totally WRONG!!! so if your reading this and your still on methadone and care about what happens to your teeth then get off it AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.... i can only imagine how much worse my teeth would've been if i had been on it longer.
i am actually a bit obsessive about how clean i keep my teeth...so much so that when i told my boyfriend what the dentist told me he was amazed. (my b/f knows about my methadone and drug problems...dentist doesn't) I actually started crying when we were talking about when and how we are going to pay for my appointments, etc.
I am beyond upset about this and I want to warn anyone so they know because i didn't have anyone to warn me. (only started to find out when i had changed clinics and was stuck in waiting room for hours talking to fellow methadone patients did i find out that majority of ppl on it long term have complained about what it did to their teeth, thats one main reason i decided it was time to get off it)
I know this topic is constantly debated and "challenged" by the methadone manufacturers but I KNOW from MY experience.
Take care
Pastcutter,
I have been in numerous conversations with people regarding their teeth before, during and after using opiates and on or off methadone. Blaming methadone isn't totally fair.
We know that when we use opiates, or any drugs for that matter, we certainly don't care for ourselves as we would under other circumstances. Dental hygiene is certainly NOT on the top of our list. As we get older our bodies change, some because of what we do or don't do and because of genetics. Our teeth are one of the things that we can blame on genetics and not solely on taking methadone.
I don't like the dentist, never have, as I wore braces beginning at age 10, for 3.5 yrs. After having 4 teeth pulled and had my braces removed I never went unless I absolutely had to.
Forward to a few years ago.....
I knew after I had been clean a while I needed to start taking better care of my teeth, so I went to a name brand dentist, got all the free Xrays and an exam and they told me I had 5 cavities and needed a root canal! I was shocked to say the least. I qualified for their "in house credit" WHICH CAME TO LIKE $5500.00,wat too costly for me, so I left.
A few months later I was told about a dentist that went by your income so I went to him. They too did a full mouth Xray and I had NO CAVITIES AND DIDNT NEED A ROOT CANAL! I had some work done, teeth cleaned and all was great.
Now 3 years later I have found a local dentist whom I adore and have been going to her as recommended. I STILL have NO cavities and do not need a root canal but as I haven't taken as good care of my teeth as I should have and consequently I lost a couple teeth, but it is because I didn't brush, floss and have regular checkups and genetics that caused it NOT the methadone.
Please get a second opinion, just because you may NOT need all the work.
granny
I have been in numerous conversations with people regarding their teeth before, during and after using opiates and on or off methadone. Blaming methadone isn't totally fair.
We know that when we use opiates, or any drugs for that matter, we certainly don't care for ourselves as we would under other circumstances. Dental hygiene is certainly NOT on the top of our list. As we get older our bodies change, some because of what we do or don't do and because of genetics. Our teeth are one of the things that we can blame on genetics and not solely on taking methadone.
I don't like the dentist, never have, as I wore braces beginning at age 10, for 3.5 yrs. After having 4 teeth pulled and had my braces removed I never went unless I absolutely had to.
Forward to a few years ago.....
I knew after I had been clean a while I needed to start taking better care of my teeth, so I went to a name brand dentist, got all the free Xrays and an exam and they told me I had 5 cavities and needed a root canal! I was shocked to say the least. I qualified for their "in house credit" WHICH CAME TO LIKE $5500.00,wat too costly for me, so I left.
A few months later I was told about a dentist that went by your income so I went to him. They too did a full mouth Xray and I had NO CAVITIES AND DIDNT NEED A ROOT CANAL! I had some work done, teeth cleaned and all was great.
Now 3 years later I have found a local dentist whom I adore and have been going to her as recommended. I STILL have NO cavities and do not need a root canal but as I haven't taken as good care of my teeth as I should have and consequently I lost a couple teeth, but it is because I didn't brush, floss and have regular checkups and genetics that caused it NOT the methadone.
Please get a second opinion, just because you may NOT need all the work.
granny
Hi everyone-
Man can I tell you folks some stories . I haven't been here for over a year- - but Im back on a clinic now.
Being treated for Hepc, and getting all my teeth replaced with dentures are just the latest in a 28 year roller coaster of heroin ,methadone and opiate addiction.
Ill save the war stories- - and will say that methadone has an indirect effect on ones teeth.
What it does is dry out your mouth and therefore cause big problems to gums and teeth.
Keeping your mouth and body hydrated helps. When I was diagnosed with Hepc it was discovered that I also have a vitamin D deficiency -
More time in the sun and vitamin D supplements or natural foods can strengthen the bones and teeth greatly.
also we all know that during ones run on opiates , dental appts,are rarely made and your life style isn't exactly condusive to oral hygiene.
So yeah Mdone will effect the health of your teeth, but there are actions that can be done to prevent much of the problems before things get worse.
I wish I had been more vigilant but it wasn't a priority during that time
Anyway- - I don't have a PC anymore (and no G/F ,no car, no place to call MY home, no job, even my carin terrier went back to Connecticut .
So @ 58 yrs old- -Im lucky Im not exactly homeless, and now receive Medicaid which is paying all dental and medical bills. All transportation is being provided by a service for free as long as Im going to the clinic or a doctor- - which pretty much seems like most of my days
The 194$ in food stamps ,and the lousy 200 bucks a month that I receive from SS helps me barely get by. So until disability comes through with the 1600 a month- - I struggle on...
knowing that Ive truly played my last hand.
I figure when everything finally clicks - Ill be able to smile (with my new teeth) knowing that once again I was able to come out of a 2 year battle that looked hopeless
Hope all you folks are doing well
jack
Man can I tell you folks some stories . I haven't been here for over a year- - but Im back on a clinic now.
Being treated for Hepc, and getting all my teeth replaced with dentures are just the latest in a 28 year roller coaster of heroin ,methadone and opiate addiction.
Ill save the war stories- - and will say that methadone has an indirect effect on ones teeth.
What it does is dry out your mouth and therefore cause big problems to gums and teeth.
Keeping your mouth and body hydrated helps. When I was diagnosed with Hepc it was discovered that I also have a vitamin D deficiency -
More time in the sun and vitamin D supplements or natural foods can strengthen the bones and teeth greatly.
also we all know that during ones run on opiates , dental appts,are rarely made and your life style isn't exactly condusive to oral hygiene.
So yeah Mdone will effect the health of your teeth, but there are actions that can be done to prevent much of the problems before things get worse.
I wish I had been more vigilant but it wasn't a priority during that time
Anyway- - I don't have a PC anymore (and no G/F ,no car, no place to call MY home, no job, even my carin terrier went back to Connecticut .
So @ 58 yrs old- -Im lucky Im not exactly homeless, and now receive Medicaid which is paying all dental and medical bills. All transportation is being provided by a service for free as long as Im going to the clinic or a doctor- - which pretty much seems like most of my days
The 194$ in food stamps ,and the lousy 200 bucks a month that I receive from SS helps me barely get by. So until disability comes through with the 1600 a month- - I struggle on...
knowing that Ive truly played my last hand.
I figure when everything finally clicks - Ill be able to smile (with my new teeth) knowing that once again I was able to come out of a 2 year battle that looked hopeless
Hope all you folks are doing well
jack
Never had any problems with my teeth, 5 yrs on Methadone
My opinion....yeah I think it does some damage to what extent I don't know. Jackofheartz said how it dries out your mouth...yup definitely, so that plays big factor. Also think about how methadone makes you crave sugar much more, so sort of an indirect result of methadone. I had work done after quitting and still need some. Did I go to dentist regularly on? No. Would that have helped? Yeah probably..but lots of things affect teeth and definitely think methadone is one.
