Despite their widely touted benefits — primarily weight loss and diabetes control, among others — GLP-1 medications have also been linked to some unwelcome side effects.
In addition to the main complaints of gastrointestinal issues, some lesser-known side effects have emerged, including mood changes, hair loss and “Ozempic face.”
Now, there are rumblings on social media from patients and doctors suggesting that weight-loss drugs could be linked to tooth decay and gum issues like irritation and bleeding.
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What is ‘Ozempic teeth’?
Ozempic teeth, much like Ozempic face, is a term coined online to describe a characteristic that some believe could be related to their use of weight-loss and diabetes drugs.
The characteristic in question is an increase in dental problems when using GLP-1s, although there is not yet any scientific evidence that the two are linked.
Dry mouth, nausea, vomiting and acid reflux are all widely reported side effects of Ozempic and other weight-loss drugs.
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“Patients have reported dry mouth while on Ozempic in both dental practices I work in,” Dr. Ricky Marshall, owner of Stratland Dental in Glendale, Arizona, and dentist at Wolff Family Dentistry & Orthodontics in Queen Creek, Arizona, told Fox News Digital.
While Ozempic itself may not be triggering the increased tooth decay, side effects like dry mouth are “likely the main cause” of some of the dental problems people are experiencing, according to Marshall.
Additionally, he noted, Ozempic is reported to increase stomach acid because the medication works by slowing down digestion.
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When increased stomach acid leads to acid reflux, heartburn or vomiting, the acid’s contact with the teeth “will absolutely contribute” to increased decay, Marshall said.
Dr. Whitney White of Aspen Dental in Las Vegas said she hasn’t personally seen any patients experiencing oral health issues linked to GLP-1s.
“I do encourage all of my patients to be open about what medications they are taking, as they can contribute to issues like dry mouth,” she told Fox News Digital.
“Dry mouth leads to plaque buildup, which in turn leads to cavities and sensitivity.”
Treating side effects
Antacids are one solution to acid reflux, according to Cleveland Clinic.
These over-the-counter medicines neutralize stomach acid so that when reflux happens, it isn’t as corrosive to the esophagus.
Although these medications can be effective for occasional acid reflux, Cleveland Clinic warned that they can have side effects if taken too often, so they likely “aren’t a good long-term solution.”
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To alleviate dry mouth, the above source recommends chewing sugarless gum to promote saliva production and drinking plenty of water, among other remedies.
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The clinic also recommends that individuals “take medications that cause dry mouth in the morning, not at night,” because dry mouth at night is more likely to cause cavities and other dental issues.
Fox News Digital reached out to Novo Nordisk (maker of Ozempic and Wegovy) and Eli Lilly (maker of Mounjaro and Zepbound) for comment. Neither company includes mention of dental-related side effects in the drugs’ prescribing information.
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