When undergoing treatment for opioid addiction, a visit to the dentist is not the patient's top priority. Yet, this visit should be at the top of the patient's to-do list. This is because suboxone medications and habits developed by patients during recovery can have severe consequences for their oral health.
During treatment, opioid addicts take their medication by placing the suboxone film under their tongues. This allows the pill to dissolve in the mouth. However, these films are acidic. The acid in the mouth will stay for a long time, creating a perfect environment for your tooth to rot.
People usually focus on the other side effects of suboxone and forget to pay attention to their oral health, which is as important as their overall health. This can lead to serious consequences such as mouth pain, blisters in the mouth, tooth decay, and many other oral diseases.
Fortunately, there are a few precautions you can take to mitigate the effects of suboxone during your recovery. These precautions are the same as those taken to improve oral health.
Avoid smoking: It's pretty hard to quit smoking, so consider cutting your daily intake in half and then quitting.
Drink more water: as mentioned above, the medication causes an acidic environment in the mouth. So drink as much water as you can to neutralize the acid and prevent your teeth from decaying.
Use sugar-free chewing gum: Using sugar-free chewing gum or xylitol chewing gum can help neutralize saliva. This is especially helpful for those who suffer from discomfort or tension in the jaw joint or chewing muscle. You can also chew mints as they also contain xylitol.
Don't forget to brush your teeth: brushing your teeth regularly can protect you from bacteria and help prevent plaque from forming along the gum line.
So you see, just taking a little care can help you avoid serious oral problems.