the enamel on my teeth started to peel off after taking this med for a few years. My teeth seem to be decaying from the inside out.
Gabapentin - has anyone else had tooth decay problems from this medication?
Question posted by godesssidda on 4 Sep 2010
Last updated on 2 April 2025 (7 weeks ago) by Jbloute
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
57 Answers Page 2
Jbloute
18 June 2023
I have been on this 7 years and I’m having the same problem plus my teeth are breaking off! I had perfect teeth beforehand
ClydeCat
18 April 2023
Absolutely, YES. I took gabapentin at various dosages for about 4 years, from 2016 to 2020. I also take other medications that cause dry mouth, and opiods, which I have been taking for almost 10 years. Opiods are horrible for teeth, but after about 3 years on gabapentin, my teeth began rotting from the inside out. I only had 2 top teeth that weren't black on the inside, and one of those was a crown. I ended up having all my teeth removed because the top ones weren't savable, and my bottom teeth were developing problems as well. I now wear a full set of dentures, and I am off gabapentin. I feel so much healthier and my mind is sharper off this horrible medication. I call gabapentjn a demon drug because I looked so sick that my parents thought I was dying.
KFSchendel
16 Sep 2022
My dog has been on Gabapentin 300 mg every 8 hours since February. His teeth are now rotted & falling out.
Mimseas
9 Aug 2022
I was given Gabapentin when I had my first hip replacement in 2005. I had my 2nd hip replacement in 2008. And ended up with scoliosis because of the difference in the length of my legs from the hip replacement. The doctors kept me on Gabapentin along with an opioid but kept increasing the dosage because of the pain. Bottom line my teeth started falling out in 2010. They literally broke off at the gum. They decayed from the inside out. Now I have to have extensive gum surgery to remove the embedded remainder of my teeth. It was 2 years ago when I found out that it was because of taking high doses of Gabapentin for a long period of time. I wish there was a class action going on because I would certainly be a part of it.
WildcatVet
9 Aug 2022
Unfortunately, you can rarely bring a class action suit against a company that knew and disclosed the potential for specific side effects. :(
TKMarsh711
29 July 2022
I've been taking 1200 mg. daily for about 3 years for anxiety, along with other anxiety meds. I've had a couple of teeth need work but idk if it was because of the Gabapentin. I'm trying to wean off of it. What I hate is, when your doctor prescribes these meds, they never mention that they have to weaned off of carefully. I might not have taken it if I'd known I would become dependent on it. Also, after reading about it, I mentioned it to my doctor that it might be hard to get off of (after it was too late), he waved me off and said, it's not that bad. I wonder if he's ever done it.
Bobcatba
29 July 2022
This is one of the biggest problems with this drug. Which adds to more pain. Stop taking . Immediately. PS. Taper down
Ldsc of delaware
29 July 2022
Sure have. I was prescribed gabapentin following an injury, started with 3600 mg per day. Ending about 2400 mg per day. This was prescribed to me for at least 18 years, when I took myself off all meds. I have lost pretty much all my teeth. They come out just like your first set. Get loose and just fall out. It has ruined my career and my relationship with family members. I am embarrassed to be seen. I can't go back to work, I was in banking and insurance.
How do you sit across from someone who is investing their hard earned money with no teeth.
Can't do it. Very embarrassing and
bedhead247
29 June 2022
I took gabapentin back in 2012 for 4 years for fybromyalgia. I hated those pills. After that my teeth started to just die. I lost 4, they just fell out. Got another that needs to come out now but can't get a nhs dentist. The dentist told me years ago that gabapentin can cause bone loss and tooth loss. No fun eh?
Jomc20
4 Nov 2021
I have been taking Gabapentin at the optimum dose of 1800mg per day for well over 20 years and have had very few cavities. It has certainly affected my memory, though, which bis to be expected.
Jomc20
30 July 2022
I have looked again at the side effects listed for Gabapentin and there is no mention of tooth decay. I would have thought that with millions of patients taking it, if there was a widespread problem with teeth, doctors would be reporting that to the manufacturer. The trouble with comments by individuals, is that this is anecdotal evidence and therefore it is not possible to extrapolate from that to conclude that a symptom is a common side-effect. That would require a large study or at least collection of data from doctors and patients.
Jeff78
9 Aug 2022
I take 600mg four times a day, that's 2400mg per day, what's up there?
Nahnie5
15 June 2021
I lost all my teeth over a 2 year period due to gabapentin. I would love to have this company pay for dental implants since I can barely eat anything anymore. I definitely can't eat anything I love such as steak, corn on the cob, apples, raw veggies, even steamed veggies, popcorn, those are just a few...
usePDR
4 April 2021
In short, YES. After 1 year on Gabapentin my teeth started breaking and I started getting ugly brownish gumline cavities at a rapid rate. The same happened to my mom after about a year on a Dementia med called Namenda. I asked my Dentist (who was also my mom's dentist why my teeth were suddenly breaking and getting gumline cavities like my mom's. We didn't take any medications in common.
My Dentist who has been practicing for over 10 years said that EVERY patient he has who takes Namenda, Gabapentin (generic for Neurontin), has the same problem. He said most drugs to treat seizures, like Tegretol do the same thing. Most doctors will insist that Gabapentin doesn't cause this problem in any of their patients. Most of their patients don't ever make the connection so they don't ask. If you don't have insurance Gabapentin (at least the oral solution) costs around $800 a month.
The drug companies are making tons off this drug, so of course they don't warn the doctors. The only clue that a doctor reading the PDR will see under side effects is "dry mouth". What not ONE of my doctors knows is what my dentist told me; that 'dry mouth" doesn't just mean your mouth is dry, it's a condition that causes a change in the pH of your saliva; it makes it very acidic, which causes rapid tooth decay once the medication has been in your system for a few months. That's why the first thing you'll notice is the yellowish to brown staining and decay around your gumline. At the same time it's working on your enamel in any small crevice between old fillings and the teeth they're in, and once the saliva gets to the dentin inside the enamel, the tooth goes quickly.
My dentist says if you cannot get off the meds (because you have seizures, neuropathies that nothing else will work for, or worse dementia (in the case of Namenda) that their are a couple things you CAN do to slow down the rate of decay. 1) using vitamin B-12 sublingual lozenges under your tongue 2 to 4 times a day will change the pH of your saliva back to normal. Only the sublinguals work; they have to dissolve and mix with your saliva inside your mouth, so don't swallow them. Their are some other things (more costly) like Biotene spray or tooth paste that also help, but sublingual B-12 works best. It doesn't even need to be a whole lozenge (they're usually small, just enough that when it's dissolved it thoroughly mixes with your saliva). There's also a past called MI paste that can actually restore enamel, but it has to stay in contact with your teeth for a few hours. The best way is to buy some of that stuff that make a thing that you wear after your retainers come off or that football players use that your teeth fit into. You can get it at any pharmacy. You get it hot in boiling water, bite into it and when it hardens it molds to you teeth. Then trim it so it's not too bulky, put the MI paste each night into the mold, then put it on your teeth until morning. That's the way my dentist recommends to keep the paste in contact with your teeth, especially at the gumline, long enough to be effective. If you can't do that the siblingual B-12 as described above is the most effective. My dentist is one of the best in greater SF Bay Area.
-And yes, I agree there needs to be a class action lawsuit against the makers of Gabapentin/Neurontin. They should put on clearer warnings, and add SOMETHING to their formula to prevent damage to teeth. If you doctor tells you that "none of their other patients have this problem", they're most likely either ignorant of the fact it's going on, or they're lying to you.
Hope this helps.
WildcatVet
4 April 2021
Any number of potential side effects are clearly stated in literature easily found on the internet and the Patient Information sheet dispensed with prescriptions:
"Common (1% to 10% of users) Dry mouth or throat, dental abnormalities, gingivitis,
Uncommon (0.1% to 1% of users): Glossitis, gum hemorrhage, thirst, stomatitis
Rare (less than 0.1%): Blisters in mouth, tooth discoloration, perlèche, salivary gland enlarged, lip hemorrhage"
Only one person is responsible for doing due diligence in researching what one puts in one's mouth.
Truth is offensive
5 April 2021
Yes you are correct. Well said. -- Pharmacist in Dallas
Sentra
13 Oct 2020
I get very dehydrated from gabapentin and lost enamel and tops from some of my front top teeth after the first three years, and now after about 17 years of taking gabapentin I've had my front teeth removed and I have a very aggressive gum disease problem and excessive bone deterioration around my teeth, up to a centimeter of tooth support bone is gone, I was shocked (along with the dentist) to recently discover this, ten years too late, and can only wonder if it's a long term side effect of the drug, if from dehydration to gum disease which does cause this bone deterioration process.
SallyKat7
23 Aug 2020
One of the side effects of Gabapentin is dry mouth, and that will cause tooth decay very quickly. I was on Gabapentin for about 4 years and I had to go through a ton of denial work. I'm now on it's sister drug lyrica and I'm expecting problems with dry mouth again. I have been using a couple different oral rinses that have helped me some.
Good Luck
Trini1953
5 June 2020
I too have been taking Gabapentin for many years. For a lot of those years I was unaware that it would affect my teeth. My teeth are a mess! At the moment I have an abscessed back molar which needs to be pulled. I have a crown that is about to fall off (gum for that tooth ,is very recessed). Have had periodontal surgery. Have had to have a top bridge and also wear partials. I am sooooooo tired of having my dentist literally do patchwork on my teeth. Can't afford implants. No insurance, so I decided this week that I am going for dentures. I don't feel like I have many other options. I figure once I have dentures, I won't have dental debt! I feel like I have spent so much money, and my teeth are just hanging on. Pick my battles right? I am taking gabapentin for a broken ankle. When they cast my leg the cast was pressing on a nerve and damaged it. Afraid to know how I would feel physically without gabapentin. My leg, at least, feels pretty good. i wish you all luck.
Its depressing to think that gabapentin could be responsible for my deteriorating teeth, but it is what it is.
usePDR
4 April 2021
After 1 year on Gabapentin my teeth started breaking and I started getting ugly brownish gumline cavities at a rapid rate. The same happened to my mom after about a year on a Dementia med called Namenda. I asked my Dentist (who was also my mom's dentist why my teeth were suddenly breaking and getting gumline cavities like my mom's. We didn't take any medications in common.
My Dentist who has been practicing for over 10 years said that EVERY patient he has who takes Namenda, Gabapentin (generic for Neurontin), has the same problem. He said most drugs to treat seizures, like Tegretol do the same thing. Most doctors will insist that Gabapentin doesn't cause this problem in any of their patients. Most of their patients don't ever make the connection so they don't ask. If you don't have insurance Gabapentin (at least the oral solution) costs around $800 a month.
The drug companies are making tons off this drug, so of course they don't warn the doctors. The only clue that a doctor reading the PDR will see under side effects is "dry mouth". What not ONE of my doctors knows is what my dentist told me; that 'dry mouth" doesn't just mean your mouth is dry, it's a condition that causes a change in the pH of your saliva; it makes it very acidic, which causes rapid tooth decay once the medication has been in your system for a few months. That's why the first thing you'll notice is the yellowish to brown staining and decay around your gumline. At the same time it's working on your enamel in any small crevice between old fillings and the teeth they're in, and once the saliva gets to the dentin inside the enamel, the tooth goes quickly.
My dentist says if you cannot get off the meds (because you have seizures, neuropathies that nothing else will work for, or worse dementia (in the case of Namenda) that their are a couple things you CAN do to slow down the rate of decay. 1) using vitamin B-12 sublingual lozenges under your tongue 2 to 4 times a day will change the pH of your saliva back to normal. Only the sublinguals work; they have to dissolve and mix with your saliva inside your mouth, so don't swallow them. Their are some other things (more costly) like Biotene spray or tooth paste that also help, but sublingual B-12 works best. It doesn't even need to be a whole lozenge (they're usually small, just enough that when it's dissolved it thoroughly mixes with your saliva). There's also a past called MI paste that can actually restore enamel, but it has to stay in contact with your teeth for a few hours. The best way is to buy some of that stuff that make a thing that you wear after your retainers come off or that football players use that your teeth fit into. You can get it at any pharmacy. You get it hot in boiling water, bite into it and when it hardens it molds to you teeth. Then trim it so it's not too bulky, put the MI paste each night into the mold, then put it on your teeth until morning. That's the way my dentist recommends to keep the paste in contact with your teeth, especially at the gumline, long enough to be effective. If you can't do that the siblingual B-12 as described above is the most effective. My dentist is one of the best in greater SF Bay Area.
-And yes, I agree there needs to be a class action lawsuit against the makers of Gabapentin/Neurontin. They should put on clearer warnings, and add SOMETHING to their formula to prevent damage to teeth. If you doctor tells you that "none of their other patients have this problem", they're most likely either ignorant of the fact it's going on, or they're lying to you.
Hope this helps.
jimcottingham
6 May 2020
I was started on gabapentin back in early 2018 after a fall resulting in a broken hip, ribs and eventually fusion of my cervical spine. During this time (I still take gabapentin 2700mg daily) I have suffered tremendous problems with tooth decay and loss. I have only 20 of my original teeth left (three of which are crowns) and fear that my condition is growing worse. My dentist told me at one point that he believed a major contributor to my tooth loss IS gabapentin. so far, I have been unable to gather any data to support his suspicions beyond that it, along with opiods tends to cause major dry mouth which is directly related to tooth problems. I should also tell you that I am a transplant survivor of 4 years this month but my accelerated dental problems started after my accident and hip, rib and neck injuries back in Jan '18. I would love to hear from others about similar experiences.
Related topics
migraine, bipolar disorder, pain, fibromyalgia, gabapentin
Further information
- Gabapentin uses and safety info
- Gabapentin prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Gabapentin (detailed)
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