Suboxone is a well-known medication used to help people recover from opioid addiction. It’s a mix of two ingredients: buprenorphine, which helps reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and naloxone, which prevents misuse.
Suboxone is typically taken as a film strip that dissolves under the tongue, making it easy to use. However, there’s a big issue that’s come up with Suboxone, it has been linked to serious dental problems, including tooth decay, erosion, and even tooth loss, which is the main reason why over a hundred thousand people (as of January 2025) are filing Suboxone lawsuits.
Why Are People Suing?
The Suboxone Lawsuit is a class-action case against Indivior, the maker of Suboxone. People who’ve used Suboxone have reported severe dental issues, such as tooth decay, cavities, and even tooth loss. The issue lies in the fact that Suboxone’s film strips are acidic, and since the medication has to dissolve under the tongue, the acid can sit in your mouth for a long time.
What’s worse is that many people who were prescribed Suboxone were never warned about these risks. They didn’t know that the medication could cause long-term damage to their teeth. As a result, a lot of people who used Suboxone are now facing expensive dental bills for things like root canals, tooth extractions, and implants.
The lawsuit argues that the company should have given patients and doctors proper warnings about these dental risks. Had they known, people may have chosen other treatment options that didn’t carry such serious risks to their teeth and stayed away from Suboxone.
Who Can Join the Lawsuit?
If you were prescribed Suboxone before June 2022 and have experienced dental problems, you might be able to join the lawsuit. To have a stronger case, you’ll need to prove that your teeth were healthy before you started taking Suboxone. People who have had issues like cracks, chips, decay, or pain in their teeth after taking the medication are eligible to file a claim.
But, remember, every state has its own rules, and the amount of time you have to file a lawsuit can vary. It’s important to talk to a lawyer if you think you qualify for the case. They can help you understand if your situation fits and what your next steps should be.
What the FDA Found
In 2022, the FDA released a warning about the dental problems linked to Suboxone and other buprenorphine medications that dissolve in the mouth. According to the FDA, taking Suboxone can lead to:
- Tooth decay
- Cavities
- Oral infections
- Tooth loss
The FDA found 305 cases of dental problems connected to Suboxone, with 131 of those being classified as serious. And the truth is, this number is likely an undercount because not everyone reports their issues. Plus, a lot of people may not realize that their dental problems are connected to Suboxone use.
The FDA also looked at data from a large study on buprenorphine use, including Suboxone, and found that people using it were more likely to have tooth decay, tooth sensitivity, and even tooth loss.
The average age of people affected was 42 at the time, though the youngest was just 18. The majority of the cases came from people using Suboxone to treat opioid addiction.
Why Does Suboxone Cause Tooth Decay?
There are a couple of reasons why Suboxone can cause dental problems, and it all comes down to how the medication works in your mouth.
- Acidic Film: The Suboxone film itself is acidic. When you place it under your tongue, it has to dissolve for about 5 to 10 minutes. That means your teeth and gums are exposed to the acid for a long time. And if you don’t rinse your mouth out afterward, that acid just sits there, eroding the enamel on your teeth.
- Dry Mouth: Suboxone also causes something called xerostomia, or dry mouth. Normally, your mouth produces saliva, which helps protect your teeth from decay by neutralizing acids and washing away food particles. But Suboxone can dry up your saliva, leaving your teeth unprotected.
Together, the combination of acid exposure and dry mouth makes Suboxone users more prone to cavities, infections, and even tooth loss.