Over the past few years, there has been an increase in questions about whether Lyme disease can cause dental issues like Lyme disease teeth fall out. With Lyme disease cases on the rise, many patients are concerned about the potential link between this illness and dental health issues like Lyme disease teeth. So does Lyme disease make your teeth fall out? Let’s take a closer look at the complex relationship between Lyme disease and oral health.
First, it’s important to understand what Lyme disease is. Lyme disease is an infection caused by Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria which are transmitted through the bite of blacklegged ticks. Untreated Lyme disease can cause symptoms like fever, headache, fatigue, and erythema migrans, which can spread to joints, heart, and nervous system.
Now the question is, what does the research say about connections between Lyme disease and tooth or gum issues? There have been some studies pointing to a potential association, but more research is still needed in this area. We’ll analyze the evidence in more depth throughout this article.
Can Lyme Disease Contribute to Issues With Your Teeth Falling Out?
When we ask “Does Lyme disease make your teeth fall out”, there are two primary ways researchers have explored to examine potential connections between Lyme disease and dental health:
- Looking at the impacts of Lyme disease itself on oral health
- Considering the side effects of antibiotics used to treat Lyme disease
Let’s start by looking at mechanism #1 – whether Lyme disease infection itself could contribute to dental issues like tooth loss. A key factor here is that Lyme disease often causes swelling and inflammation throughout the body.
Some researchers have hypothesized that this inflammation from Lyme disease could also impact teeth and gums. For example, one study found that out of 385 patients with Lyme disease, 14% reported tooth loss or gum issues that began after getting diagnosed with Lyme. The study indicated that more inflammation throughout the body was associated with more dental complaints.
However, this evidence is still quite limited. This single study had a very small sample size. It relied on self-reported dental issues, without dental exams to confirm tooth loss was present. So while it suggests a potential connection, more rigorous research is needed.
The second mechanism explores whether antibiotics used to treat Lyme disease could damage dental health as a side effect. For example, the antibiotic doxycycline is often used in Lyme treatment.
Some research indicates doxycycline can stain growing children’s teeth yellow if taken before age 8. It also may rarely cause some gum inflammation. However, no evidence that properly prescribed doxycycline regimes lead to tooth loss.
Overall the current research shows:
- A potential link between inflammation from Lyme disease itself and dental complaints
- Minimal risks of tooth staining or gum irritation from certain Lyme antibiotics
- No clear evidence Lyme medications directly cause tooth loss
Much more research is still needed to determine if Lyme disease makes your teeth fall out. As of now, tooth loss seems very unlikely to occur as a direct result of either Lyme infection or doxycycline treatment regimes. Talk to your dentist and doctor if you have any oral health changes during or after Lyme treatment.
Conclusion
In closing, while anecdotal patient reports have raised the question “Does Lyme disease make your teeth fall out”, the balance of evidence does not currently support a clear link between Lyme infection or treatment and tooth loss.
Some early research has suggested a potential association between inflammation caused by Lyme disease and patient-reported dental problems, such as tooth loss or gum disease. However, the available data on this topic is still limited, and more rigorous studies are required to establish a definitive link. While antibiotics commonly prescribed for Lyme disease, like doxycycline, pose little risk of tooth loss when taken as directed, minor side effects like tooth staining or gum irritation are possible.
Although further research is warranted, there is currently no conclusive evidence that Lyme disease directly causes teeth to fall out. More comprehensive investigations are necessary to fully understand the potential dental implications of Lyme disease and its treatment.
Ultimately, simply having Lyme disease or taking antibiotics like doxycycline does not appear likely to directly make your teeth fall out. But Lyme does cause body-wide inflammation that could potentially impact oral health. Discuss any tooth or gum changes with your health providers. Be sure to maintain excellent oral hygiene practices during Lyme treatment. Keeping up with regular dental cleanings and checkups is important as well.
With Lyme disease cases increasing, further research on links between Lyme disease and Lyme disease teeth, including Lyme disease teeth fallout, would benefit patients. We still have much to learn about any indirect effects this illness could have on our teeth and gums. One thing’s for certain though – we don’t need to panic about the possibility of Lyme leading directly to tooth loss. Maintaining excellent oral hygiene and regular dental care remains just as crucial whether you have Lyme disease or not.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Lyme disease (https://www.cdc.gov/lyme/index.html). Accessed 8/16/2022.
- Kugeler KJ, Griffin KS, Gould LH, et al. A review of death certificates listing Lyme disease as a Cause of death in the United States (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21189272/). Clin Infect Dis 2011;52(3):364-367. Accessed 8/16/2022.
