Does Suboxone Rot Your Teeth? What the FDA and the Lawsuits Say
Last updated: October 6, 2026
If your teeth started breaking down while you were taking Suboxone film, you are not alone. In January 2022 the FDA warned that buprenorphine medicines dissolved in the mouth can cause tooth decay, cavities, infections, and tooth loss. Some of the people in its reports had no dental problems before they started.
This page explains what the FDA found, why the film is blamed, the signs of damage, and how to protect your teeth if you still take it. It also covers the lawsuits people have filed. For the full picture of those cases, see Suboxone Lawsuit: Tooth Decay Claims.
This page provides general educational information. It is not medical or legal advice. Please do not stop taking Suboxone or change how you take it because of this page. Talk to your prescriber first.
Lost teeth or needed major dental work while on Suboxone film? You can ask for a free case review. Whether your history supports a claim depends on your own facts. Pick the situation that fits:
Free and no obligation. Filing deadlines are set by your state. Submitting a review request does not create an attorney-client relationship.
What the FDA Found
On January 12, 2022, the FDA warned about dental problems with buprenorphine tablets and films that dissolve under the tongue or inside the cheek. Suboxone film is one of them. The agency had found 305 reports of dental problems through the end of 2018, and it called 131 of them serious. The people affected ranged in age from 18 to 71.
In 26 of those reports, the patient had no history of dental problems. The FDA required a new warning on the label and the patient guide for every buprenorphine medicine dissolved in the mouth. It also said the benefits of these medicines clearly outweigh the risks.
The warning did not cover buprenorphine given by skin patch or by injection. The FDA said it had not found a dental concern with those forms.
Why the Film Is Blamed
Tooth enamel starts to dissolve when the mouth turns acidic, below a pH of about 5.5. According to the lawsuits, a dissolved Suboxone strip has a pH of about 3.4. The film sits against the teeth and gums for several minutes while it dissolves. Most patients take it every day, often for years.
The lawsuits say that daily acid bath wears the enamel down until the teeth decay and break. They also say the company chose the acidity on purpose, so the film would absorb like the older tablet. Indivior, the company that sells Suboxone, disputes the claims.
Signs of Damage
The problems the FDA listed include cavities and tooth decay, abscesses and infections, worn enamel, fillings that fall out, and tooth loss. People in the lawsuits also describe teeth that crack or break. Signs to watch for:
- Pain or sensitivity when you eat or drink something hot, cold, or sweet
- Brown, black, or white spots on the teeth
- Teeth that chip, crack, or break
- Fillings or crowns that loosen or fall out
- Swelling, a bad taste, or pus near a tooth, which can mean an infection
- Teeth that feel loose
If you notice any of these, see a dentist and tell them you take buprenorphine. An infection in the mouth needs prompt care.
How Long It Takes
The FDA said some people reported problems as soon as two weeks after starting treatment. The typical time to diagnosis was about two years. The lawsuits describe damage that built up over months or years of daily use.
How to Protect Your Teeth
The FDA's advice for people who take a buprenorphine film or tablet that dissolves in the mouth:
- After the medicine has fully dissolved, take a large sip of water, swish it gently around your teeth and gums, and swallow.
- Wait at least one hour before brushing your teeth.
- Tell your dentist that you take buprenorphine.
- Keep regular dental checkups.
- Do not stop the medicine suddenly without talking to your prescriber.
The FDA also asks prescribers to send patients to a dentist soon after they start treatment, for a baseline exam and a plan to prevent decay. If your prescriber has not suggested that, you can ask. Your prescriber can also tell you whether another form of buprenorphine would suit you.
What the Lawsuits Say
People who used Suboxone film and lost teeth or needed major dental work have sued Indivior and Aquestive Therapeutics, the company that makes the film. They say the film was made too acidic. They also say no one warned them or their dentists until 2022.
The federal cases are gathered before one judge in Cleveland, Ohio, in a group called MDL 3092. There is no settlement, and no trial date has been set. For the current case count and the court schedule, see Suboxone Lawsuit Updates.
Had teeth pulled, crowns, or dentures while you were on the film? A case review looks at when you took the film and what your dentist found. Rough dates are enough to start.
Start a Free Case ReviewEducational purposes only. Submitting the form on Lawsuit Center does not create an attorney-client relationship.
If You Are Thinking About a Claim
A Suboxone case is built from pharmacy and dental records. Dental X-rays and charts from before and after you started the film can show how your teeth changed. Pharmacy records show whether you were given the brand film, a generic film, or tablets, and for how long.
Each state sets its own filing deadline, and the clock can start when you learned the damage might be tied to the film. Your dates matter, so it helps to look into it sooner rather than later. See Suboxone Filing Deadlines for more.
Want to know whether your dates fall within your state's deadline? A free, no-obligation case review can look at when you took the film and when the damage began.
Request a Free Case ReviewEducational purposes only. Submitting the form on Lawsuit Center does not create an attorney-client relationship.
Common Questions About Suboxone and Tooth Decay
Does Suboxone rot your teeth?
The FDA warned in 2022 that buprenorphine medicines dissolved in the mouth, including Suboxone film, can cause tooth decay, cavities, infections, and tooth loss. It found 305 reports through 2018, 131 of them serious. Not everyone who takes the medicine has these problems.
Do Suboxone tablets cause tooth decay too?
The FDA warning covers both tablets and films that dissolve in the mouth. The lawsuits filed so far focus on the film.
Does Sublocade damage teeth?
Sublocade is a monthly injection, so it does not dissolve in the mouth. The FDA said it had not found a dental concern with buprenorphine given by injection or skin patch.
Should I stop taking Suboxone to save my teeth?
No, not without your prescriber. Stopping buprenorphine suddenly carries its own risks. Your prescriber and your dentist can help you protect your teeth while you stay in treatment.
Can teeth damaged by Suboxone be fixed?
Dentists repair this kind of damage with fillings, root canals, crowns, implants, or dentures, depending on how far it has gone. The earlier a dentist sees it, the more options there usually are.
Is there a lawsuit for Suboxone tooth decay?
Yes. Federal cases are gathered in Cleveland, Ohio, in a group called MDL 3092. There is no settlement yet. The Suboxone lawsuit updates page carries the latest case count.
Ask for a Free Case Review
Lawsuit Informer provides general educational information. When you are ready for a review of your own history, continue to Lawsuit Center for a free case review.
Sources
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, “FDA warns about dental problems with buprenorphine medicines dissolved in the mouth” (January 12, 2022) — what the agency found in its reports, how soon problems appeared, which forms of the medicine the warning covers, and its advice for patients and prescribers.
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, MDL 3092 — the court’s page for the Suboxone film cases.
- Court record, In re Suboxone (Buprenorphine/Naloxone) Film Products Liability Litigation, No. 1:24-md-03092-JPC (N.D. Ohio) — the complaints’ account of the film’s acidity and the case schedule.
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