Suboxone Tooth Decay Attorneys

Pharmaceutical giant Indivior is facing a series of lawsuits over the use of its drug Suboxone. The drug Suboxone is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat Opioid Use Disorder. It is a sublingual medication that is meant to dissolve under a person’s tongue or against their cheeks. But a substantial number of patients using the drug have reported serious dental problems. This includes oral infections, tooth decay, cavities, and tooth loss. Many of the victims have reported no prior history of dental problems.

In January 2022, the Food and Drug Administration alerted healthcare professionals of the adverse dental implications associated with the long-term use of Suboxone and its generic equivalents. As more researchers began to look into the drug, they did find a link between the drug and poor dental health. Any person who has experienced dental problems after taking Suboxone may be able to seek compensation through a civil claim. Our team of dangerous drug attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. is here for you. Don’t wait if you’ve been impacted by this medication. We can investigate your case free of charge and let you know if you have a valid claim that can be pursued. You can reach out to us anytime at (212) 385-4410.

How Does Suboxone Negatively Impact Dental Health?

Suboxone is naturally acidic in nature, with a pH of 3.4 when dissolved in water. As a person uses the drug, it can wear away the enamel of their teeth, thereby making those teeth vulnerable to decay and bacteria. According to one study published in the JAMA Network, “This study found an increase in the risk of adverse dental outcomes associated with sublingual buprenorphine/naloxone compared with transdermal buprenorphine and oral naltrexone.” It is possible for any person who is using the drug to experience numerous dental problems.

• Severe Tooth Decay: Patients have reported serious tooth decay resulting in cavities or the need to replace one or more teeth.
• Tooth Erosion: Patients have had their teeth severely compromised because the drug has eroded away their enamel.
• Dry Mouth: One of the side effects of Suboxone is dry mouth. When a person has less saliva in their mouth, they are more vulnerable to harmful bacteria.
• Gum Problems: Suboxone can cause a person to have major gum issues, including inflammation and periodontal disease.
• Teeth Fractures: Numerous patients have also reported that their teeth have fractured or cracked while using Suboxone.
• Infections: All of the above-mentioned dental problems come with the risk of infection. These infections can be both extremely painful and potentially life-threatening.

Suboxone serves a very important purpose for those who use it. This is particularly the case as deaths due to opioid overdoses rise each year. But the sublingual version of this medication has proven to be potentially very harmful. There are versions of these medications that don’t require patients to let the active ingredients sit in their mouths for extended periods of time. Indivior, the pharmaceutical company that makes this drug, simply has not done enough to warn people about the adverse side effects.

Liability For Dental Problems After Taking Suboxone

A drug company could be held liable for a dangerous drug through a product liability claim. Drug companies must ensure that their medications are reasonably safe. They must also warn consumers about the non-obvious dangers of those products. Generally speaking, plaintiffs can assert three different types of actions for a product liability claim. This includes (1) negligence (PJI 2:125); (2) strict product liability (PJI 2:120); and (3) breach of warranty (PJI 2:140). In either a negligence or strict liability case, the plaintiff will need to argue that the product was either defective or unreasonably dangerous. Plaintiffs will typically need to argue a drug was dangerous due to design defects, marketing defects, or manufacturing defects.

• Design Defects: (1) The product was unreasonably dangerous and created a substantial risk of injury; (2) It was feasible for the product to have been designed in a safe manner; and (3) The defect was the proximate cause of the plaintiff’s injury.
• Marketing Defects / Failure to Warn: The defendant failed to warn the plaintiff of the dangers associated with their product.
• Manufacturing Defects: A product caused injury by not performing as intended. However, other products of identical design do not fail.

Most of the lawsuits being pursued against Indivior are based on the claim that the company failed to warn patients and healthcare providers about the risk of adverse dental outcomes. Indeed, there were no warnings on the sublingual form of Suboxone before 2022. Consumers were simply not made aware of the very serious risks to their dental health. Even after the Food and Drug Administration warned about the health risks of the drug, Indivior waited nearly 6 months until June 2022 to update their prescribing information to include warnings. According to one court filing, Indivior and other defendants in this case were aware of at least 36 adverse oral health events related to Suboxone by the end of 2011.

Why You Should Consider Hiring An Attorney If You’ve Been Injured After Taking Suboxone

• Pharmaceutical companies will do everything in their power to deny responsibility when anyone taking their drugs is injured or dies. This can leave victims in a very precarious situation. The cost of treating all of the various dental ailments associated with the use of Suboxone can be as high as tens of thousands of dollars. This doesn’t say anything about the enormous pain and suffering that victims go through. There are a number of reasons why you should consider hiring a personal injury attorney if you’ve been injured after taking Suboxone.Legal Expertise: Attorneys that specialize in product liability claims can help navigate the complex legal processes for cases involving dangerous drugs.
• Investigation: An attorney can conduct a thorough investigation and subpoena records to help build the strongest case possible.
• Maximizing Compensation: An attorney can help maximize your compensation by creating a compelling claim that takes into consideration all of your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. They may also be able to pursue punitive damages because the defendants recklessly disregarded the public’s safety and welfare.
• No Up-Front Costs: There are no up-front costs associated with hiring an attorney. They work entirely on a contingency fee basis and only get paid by the opposing party if they are able to successfully resolve your case.
• Court Representation: Most cases settle out of court before going to trial. But if your case does go to trial, a personal injury attorney can provide you with skilled and passionate advocacy in the courtroom.

It can be nearly impossible for individual victims by themselves to hold these large pharmaceutical companies responsible when they create dangerous products. They have teams of lawyers that are paid to protect their own interests. A personal injury attorney can help level the playing field and ensure that your own interests are always taken into consideration. There is a tremendous peace of mind that comes with having a skilled legal advocate fight on your behalf. If you’ve suffered dental problems after taking Suboxone, an attorney can help get you the medical and financial support that you deserve under the law.

Getting Legal Help After Taking Suboxone

American drug companies are responsible for creating the opioid epidemic, which has killed more than 560,000 people since the epidemic began. These companies lied about how addictive and dangerous these drugs were. As of 2024, 2.1 million Americans are addicted to opioids. This same industry then sought to profit off of the death, destruction, and chaos it caused by distributing drugs like Suboxone and its generic equivalents. But even here, companies like Indivior have continued to cause harm by making their medications so acidic that they literally destroy people’s teeth by wearing away their enamel. These companies should be ashamed of themselves and must be held accountable.

If you’ve been injured after taking Suboxone, there is help available to you. Our team of highly experienced attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. is here for you. We are committed to holding pharmaceutical companies responsible for their illegal and unethical actions. Our law firm has a long and consistent track record of securing some of the largest personal injury verdicts and settlements in New York. In fact, we have successfully recovered over $1 billion for our deserving clients. Whether you just have legal questions or would like a free legal consultation about your situation, we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (212) 385-4410.