Suboxone, a drug used for opioid dependence, has been reported to cause severe dental issues.
Studies have shown a link between buprenorphine – an active ingredient in Suboxone – and an increased risk of severe dental harms. These issues include cavities, tooth decay, dental abscesses/infection, tooth erosion, fillings falling out, and total tooth loss, including in patients with no history of dental problems. In 2023, the manufacturers of Suboxone updated the product label to warn of dental health side effects and urge users to tell their dentists about their Suboxone use.
Canadian class action filed against Suboxone manufacturers
Siskinds is now pursuing claims on behalf of Canadians who suffered oral health issues after using Suboxone. In April 2024, Siskinds LLP and its Québec affiliate, Siskinds Desmeules, filed proposed class actions on behalf of Canadians who used Suboxone, alleging that Suboxone drugs expose patients to serious risks, which were not sufficiently warned of.
Suboxone drugs are medications widely prescribed to treat opioid dependence
Suboxone is a drug containing the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone, which is identified by Health Canada as a first-line treatment for opioid abuse. Opioid addiction is an issue impacting +100,000s of Canadians with +36,000 opioid deaths in Canada from 2016 to 2022.
Suboxone has been marketed in Canada since 2007 and has seen widespread use during that time. Public drug programs in Canada spent over $46 million on Suboxone Products in 2018. Suboxone is available in tablet and film forms, and both types are meant to be taken sublingually – meaning the patient leaves it in their mouth under their tongue and lets it dissolve to take effect.1
Researchers, regulator identify link to dental harms, manufacturer updates warnings
For years, scientific articles have identified the potential risks of products containing buprenorphine to cause serious dental and/or oral health injuries, including a 2008 study of over 500 buprenorphine patients and 2012 and 2013 case studies led by Harvard researchers.2 In January 2022, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration issued public advisories warning about reports of serious dental harms caused by buprenorphine medicines dissolved in the mouth.
In March 2023, the licensed Canadian manufacturer of Suboxone revised the Health Canada Product Monograph for the drug, which is intended to provide information about the properties, claims, indications, and conditions of use of the drug. For the first time, warnings directed at both health professionals and patients were added about the risks of dental problems.3
Siskinds is pursuing justice for Suboxone users who have been harmed
Siskinds is seeking to recover compensation for Canadians suffering severe dental and oral health issues resulting from their use of prescription Suboxone. If you or someone you know has used Suboxone and has suffered serious dental harms, Siskinds may be able to help.
Contact us for more information or to receive a free consultation. Visit siskinds.com/Suboxone and complete the form at the bottom of the page or call 1-800-461-6166. Québec residents should contact Siskinds Desmeules by phone at 418-694-2009 or by email at [email protected].
1 Suboxone film can also be taken via buccal administration – absorption by placing it between the gums and cheek to dissolve.
2 Winstock AR, et al. Patients’ help-seeking behaviours for health problems associated with methadone and buprenorphine treatment. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2008;27(4):393-397; Suzuki J, et al. Buprenorphine/naloxone and dental caries: a case report. Am J Addict. 2012;21(5):494-495; Suzuki J, et al. Sublingual buprenorphine and dental problems: a case series. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2013;15(5):PCC.13l01533.