I know this is kinda a question out of left field, but there has been growing suspicion on other forums regarding the link between Lyrica causing dental issues and I'm curious if anyone else with otherwise healthy teeth has noticed rapid tooth decay since taking Lyrica ??

It is a known fact that any med that causes dry mouth can be a culprit to good teeth going bad......but I've been hearing very alarming things about this particular one....

Hi, Rrae....

We have a discussion going here:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread114919.html

I was mis-diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and put on Lyrica for seven months. I gained over 75 pounds and it destroyed my teeth. So far, I have had nine root canals, many build ups and I am only half-way finished. To complete the restoration will cost me ANOTHER 25 thousand dollars. I have always had excellent dental care and wore orthodontics in my twenties. Right before I began Lyrica, I visited the dentist, with a clean check up. While I was on Lyrica, I noticed that my enamel was falling off, then my teeth started to break. My dentist told me, "He has never seen anything like this"! Now I need a front tooth implant, caps and all of the rest fixed. I have RSD, so I never should have been on Lyrica. It was an old doctor, that just assumed my symptoms were Fibromyalgia. It wasn't dry-mouth, because I had a huge bottle of water, everywhere I went, while taking Lyrica. Now, I have lost 55 pounds and am trying to dig up the money to finalize my dental restoration. The Endodontist told me, when he started drilling, my teeth were like "empty eggshels". They would just blow-up! So, YES, Lyrica causes terrible dental problems. It almost destroyed me!

I want to emphasize that I did not loose my teeth, while using Lyrica, due to dry mouth. I carried a bottle of water 24/7. Even at night. I would wake up (because of pain) and drink as much as I could. I saw a doctor when the enamel was coming off. He mentioned dry mouth, then I told him that I never go anywhere without water. In fact, I had my bottle with me, in his office. Having RSD, the most time I have ever slept, was about two hours. So, I would drink every two hours, at night, while on Lyrica.

Thank you for that!
I too had the "Lyrica Backfire" thing....! I've finally lost the 30lbs I gained (it was RAPID and alarming weight gain)
I was on this med for about 8 months. Perfectly fine teeth all my life.....
I too, had a bottle of water EVERYwhere i went because some of the meds I take DO cause drymouth and so I always had water on hand.
I recently was reading in an older medical manual and it DID actually list (not Lyrica by name, as it wasn't around yet) but it said that 'anti-seizure' medication is a culprit for dental problems!

This is certainly something people should at least be aware of!
Some do good on Lyrica, but like you, I have nothing good to say about it. Biggest regret of my life.

Thanks for your feedback!

When you have dry mouth the good bacteria in your mouth leaves. and then you have dental decay & it can happen quickly. Water is not enough to keep your teeth from not decaying. It does nothing to keep the good bacteria in your mouth. You have a flora in your mouth just like you do in your colon. Once it is messed up, well it is hard to get it back. I have Sjogrens Syndrome which was dxed righ before I got RSD & that cause dry eyes & dry mouth. I take a medication to help my salivary glands to work better than when not taking it. It is called Evoxac. You have to have Sjogrens I believe to be able to be on this drug. The pharmaceutical company is pretty strict about that. You have to also have gone thru the step program to use it as most prescritpion carriers will demand that you have gone thru the step program before paying for it. This drug is not cheap at all. I went 9 months with no prescription coverage, before Medicare Part D went into effect. That is when my teeth went so badly I now wear false teeth. There was NO saving my teeth at all after that.

I had never heard about Lyrica causing dental problems & I was on it for about a year at one time, after I lost my teeth I believe. But I did gain a ton of weight on it. I have lost it all now. The loss is due to other reasons than having one off of lyica. I take gabepentin instead as I can't take Topamax or Lamactil. Topamax caused me to go into an organic manic high, cause by the drug. Lamactil I itched from & stopped it immediately due to the black box warning it carries. Gabapentin makes me so darn sleepy all the time I hate having to take it but it is one of the drugs that helps with the burn.

Debby

Something to consider.....narcotics are also known to be tough on teeth. It might help if people also include whether or not they are also on narcotics.

Yep, that would be me....
I was on pain meds for 6 yrs prior to Lyrica and Dental was ok.
No issues. Took Lyrica for under a yr and that's when everything went to @#$%

Thanx for bringing that up, and yes I was aware of the narcotics, but for the sake of whomever else may be reading this.....yes....ANY med that causes dry mouth can do harm to teeth. I wish they would make that more clear when listing the possible 'side effects'....I don't recall reading that risk, or it went straight over my head......

Yes, I had perfect teeth, I never even had a cavity until I was 24. When I had my children I did get pregency gingervitis. When I started with my inquiry and the RSD and all the meds included Lyrica I started getting a very dry mouth and decay grew like crazy. My dentist and PM Doctor thought it was the Opana or morphine based medications that cause the dry mouth and follow's with the decay. Since I stopped the Lycria and the Opana and took care of the problems I had with my teeth I have not have any problems since. I do have to have a bridge made because I did loose some teeth in the back and implants where not recommended by my PM doctor because of the drilling into the bone. I hope this helped.

Gabbycakes

This is an issue I had not contemplated. Thoughout this pain issue, I have consumed SO many meds. Kept the bottles, just kind of as a "what have I consumed?" kind of thing. Curiosity. Have filled over two of those wheelie bags I used to take when travelling across the country for my former work.

I took Lyrica over a course of 18 months, as prescribed, using 1800mg per day. My dentist never commented that my teeth had "gone south" during this period, although I did have a root canal during this time because a molar just spontaneously broke! Ouch! Not fun!

My physiatrist was alarmed at the amount of surgeon prescribed Lyrica over the time frame I had used it. He switched me out to Neurontin 3000mg per day. I have not noticed further deterioration of my teeth, and just the other day, my dentist pronounced me as having good strong teeth. I'll take that to the bank.

Mark56