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Story at-a-glance

• More than 13.5 million people are now using GLP-1 injections like Ozempic, up from 450,000 in 2018 — a sharp rise linked to an equally sharp increase in side effects
• Patients using Ozempic are reporting rapid tooth decay, bleeding gums, and dental infections — even in people with no history of oral disease or poor hygiene habits
• Reduced saliva and increased stomach acid — two known side effects of GLP-1 drugs — set the stage for bacterial overgrowth, acid erosion, bad breath, and irreversible enamel loss
• Weight loss from GLP-1 drugs often includes bone and muscle mass, not just fat — putting users at higher risk for fractures, osteoporosis, and long-term structural damage
• The oral bacteria triggered by Ozempic use, such as P. gingivalis, are linked not just to gum disease but to heart disease, pneumonia, and even Alzheimer’s

Over 13.5 million people today are now taking GLP-1 drugs — an astounding surge from nearly 450,000 prescriptions in 2018.1 Once prescribed as a drug for managing Type 2 diabetes, these injections are now being used for weight loss, and sold under brand names like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro.

It seems like there’s no stopping their popularity. Unfortunately, the same can be said for the side effects being linked to these drugs. Social media is now abuzz with the latest concern being linked to GLP-1 medications. Apparently, people who are using these drugs are now coming down with sudden dental issues.

This Shortcut to a Slimmer Waist Could Ruin Your Smile

A news report from Fox News highlights yet another rising concern about GLP-1 medications, particularly how these drugs are triggering tooth- and gum-related issues. According to the report, patients and doctors are now seeing a consistent pattern of dental problems linked to these medications.2

• Beware of “Ozempic teeth” — Much like the infamous “Ozempic face,” this refers to oral health symptoms, such as tooth decay, gum disease, oral infections, bad breath, and dental collapse, that are showing up in people who are taking these medications. Even those with no prior history of dental disease are experiencing these side effects.

• Dental professionals are reporting these effects — While there is still no scientific evidence linking GLP-1 use with dental issues, medical experts are now seeing a pattern.3 Dr. Ricky Marshall, an oral health practitioner based in Arizona, has noticed the increasing number of patients who are reporting similar symptoms. “Patients have reported dry mouth while on Ozempic in both dental practices I work in,” he said.

• Why does Ozempic cause dry mouth? Marshall believes that the dry mouth side effect is one of the main reasons for the dental problems linked to these weight loss drugs. But why does this occur in the first place? Apparently, semaglutide, the active ingredient in these injections, affects your salivary glands and reduces saliva production. According to an article in The Conversation:

“It isn’t exactly clear why semaglutide has this effect on the salivary glands. But in animal studies of the drug, it appears the drug makes saliva stickier. This means there’s less fluid to moisten the mouth, causing it to dry out.”4

Your Digestive and Dental Health Are Connected

Unfortunately, those who use these weight loss drugs are often unaware of the side effects, as many of them aren’t indicated on the drugs’ information leaflet. But, according to The Hearty Soul, even if there are no direct warnings about these side effects, there are signs. “For example, one of the common side effects that appears on the label is acid reflux. This increase in acid can start to erode your teeth over time.”5

• Ozempic slows down digestion — This is what causes your stomach to produce more acid. Having higher amounts of stomach acid then results in acid reflux (heartburn), and when the acid goes back up and reaches your teeth, it “will absolutely contribute” to tooth decay, Marshall said.6

• Another one of Ozempic’s major side effects is vomiting — Semaglutide delays digestion, which can cause bloating, nausea, and vomiting. When you repeatedly vomit, the hydrochloric acid in your vomit erodes your teeth’s enamel, the protective outer surface. In particular, the back surface of the teeth is more prone to being damaged.7

• Bad breath is another concern — The reduced saliva production in your mouth allows bacteria like Streptococcus mutans, Lactobacillus strains, and Porphyromonas gingivalis to thrive, which leads to foul odor. Lack of saliva means your tongue is not being cleaned properly, which further contributes to halitosis.8

• Ozempic alters how you taste food — Dr. Daniel Rosen, a New York-based obesity specialist, said that people who take the injection also change the way they view food — a phenomenon dubbed as “Ozempic tongue.” While this is mainly due to the different taste receptors on the tongue, the effect could be related to your brain, too.

"You have to remember that taste is not just in your tongue it is also in your brain. We know GLP-1s lessen the dopamine hit from food, making the experience less enjoyable, which could be why tastes start to shift. Think of seeing a photo of a juicy burger on a menu and that first bite with the explosion of flavor in your mouth and juices dripping down to your chin,” Rosen said.

“That is the pleasure system in the brain responding to food. If all of that is dampened or turned off in the brain because of the GLP-1 medications you can see why someone would say food tastes different or that things don't taste the same. Patients might say everything tastes the same, or food tastes so bland.”9

• Your oral health is not an isolated concern — It reflects the state of your systemic well-being. For example, the bacteria P. gingivalis produced as a side effect of Ozempic use not only leads to periodontal disease, but also impairs your innate immune response and raises your risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, pneumonia, autoimmune disease, and mental health issues.

These recent alarms about Ozempic are a clear indication of how it’s setting off a silent breakdown, and if you’re not paying attention, the damage could become irreversible. Read “Ozempic and Other Weight Loss Drugs Linked to 162 US Deaths” to learn more about the damaging effects of these drugs.

You Lose More Than Just Body Fat — You Lose Bone and Muscle, Too

Another striking yet underreported side effect of GLP-1 drugs? Rapid loss of bone and muscle mass. With every injection, you’re just not shedding body fat; you’re also shrinking your bones and lean muscles, which has severe health consequences. According to an article in LADBible, “Losing this muscle can impair someone's strength and joint stability, while reduced bone density also raises the risk of osteoporosis, a condition which can cause brittle bones.”10

• Nearly half of your weight loss could be coming from your bones and muscles — In one clinical trial on semaglutide, 140 participants were tracked over 68 weeks to observe its effects on obese individuals. While the participants lost 23 pounds of fat, they also lost 15 pounds of lean muscle mass. That's nearly 40% of their total weight loss coming from tissue the body actually needs to survive and thrive.11

• The elderly are more severely affected — According to a Daily Mail article, individuals already dealing with age-related degeneration — postmenopausal women, older adults, and those with low baseline muscle mass — are suffering the worst outcomes from these weight-loss injections. Professor Carl Heneghan, director of Oxford University's Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, said:12

“Any drug that reduces muscle mass and bone density is a bad idea for people who are frail and those vulnerable to fractures with osteoporosis. The evidence is clear — these drugs carry significant risks and the longer a patient stays on them, the greater the risk.”

• Alarmingly, young people are also affected — Ozempic’s effects on bone and muscle loss aren’t just seen in the elderly. The LADBible article highlights how Avery, a 30-year-old singer, developed full-blown osteoporosis and osteopenia after just one year on Ozempic, taking the weight loss drug without a prescription.13

Osteoporosis typically affects postmenopausal women or elderly adults. So seeing this disease emerge in a young adult with no prior history is a clear warning sign that something is very wrong. On her social media, the singer warned people not to make the same mistake she did. "It's become very normalized, but it's really dangerous. I just can't believe I did that damage to myself," Avery said.14

These findings show how these “miracle drugs” alter your physiology at a foundational level. And if you keep using these shortcuts, you could find yourself paying a steep price for that slimmer waistline.

Your Oral Health Affects Your Overall Health Far More Than You Think

As I’ve mentioned in my previous articles, your mouth serves as a window to your physical and mental health — it’s the first indicator that something is not functioning properly inside your body. What’s more, the damage that Ozempic causes to your oral health could pave the way for worse health issues, such as:

• Cardiovascular disease — A review published in the Journal of Endodontics analyzed data from 12 research papers and found that people who have already lost all their natural teeth or only have fewer than 10 natural teeth remaining were 1.66 times more likely to die from heart-related issues compared to those with more teeth.15

• Infections — Having gum disease means your gums are inflamed; when this happens, pathogenic bacteria and viruses can enter your body through the leaky nature of your blood vessels. Once inside, they can spread to various areas via the bloodstream. When these harmful microbes reach your organs, they lead to inflammation and trigger disease.

• Alzheimer’s disease — A 2023 study published in the Neurology journal found that periodontitis (gum infection) causes your hippocampus to shrink — a marker of this neurodegenerative disease.16

When multiple systems in your body are struggling, your gums are often the ones that break down first. This is because although the gum tissues regenerate quickly, they are also exposed to constant bacterial challenges. That makes them both vulnerable and valuable as an early warning system. For this reason, I recommend implementing strategies to protect your oral health.

In addition, if you’re using Ozempic and are experiencing the telltale oral symptoms, it’s a sign that something more sinister is going on inside your body. The best course of action is to simply stop using these drugs.

Strategies to Manage Your Weight Naturally

You don’t need to rely on GLP-1 drugs to bring your weight back to a healthy state. Instead, I recommend optimizing your cellular energy production through a multifaceted approach that involves various diet and lifestyle changes.

While it takes effort to implement, the results are safer, healthier, and long-term — something Ozempic and other weight loss drugs just can’t offer. Here are strategies that I recommend for healthy weight management:

1. Avoid Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs — Don’t fall for the hype. Although these medications initially seem efficient in eliminating excess fat, their benefits are usually short-lived and the side effects are damaging.

2. Eliminate vegetable oils from your diet — If you regularly consume ultraprocessed foods, I recommend stopping right now and replacing them with real, whole foods. Processed foods contain linoleic acid (LA)-rich vegetable oils that disrupt your metabolic pathways and alter how your body stores fat. Instead, cook your meals using tallow, grass fed butter, or coconut oil.

I also recommend downloading my new Health Coach app, which will come out soon. It has Seed Oil Sleuth™, a unique feature that will help identify every hidden source of seed oils in your meals. It also calculates your daily intake to the nearest tenth of a gram. Just scan the QR code below to join the early-access list to the app.

 

3. Shift your carbohydrate sources gradually — Avoid making sudden dietary changes that will shock your system. If your gut is compromised, start by introducing easily digestible carbohydrates like whole fruit or white rice before incorporating more complex carbs. If you have severe gut issues, sip dextrose water to provide your cells with a steady source of easy-to-digest, healthy carbohydrates for energy. After a week or two, begin to transition over to whole fruit or white rice.

4. Consider your protein and collagen intake — I suggest aiming for 0.8 grams of protein per pound of your ideal body weight and balancing that amount so that about one-third comes from collagen. This will help support muscle maintenance, tissue repair, and hormone balance.

If you exercise frequently, you might need to slightly increase your intake. My suggestion is to take it slow and listen to how your body responds. Stable protein intake is foundational for regulating cravings and stabilizing energy.

5. Support your mitochondrial health with other healthy habits — Getting daily sun exposure is one example; however, if you're still consuming vegetable oils, make sure to avoid intense midday sun for at least four to six months. The LA in these oils migrate to your skin and oxidize under sun exposure, causing skin damage. Read “The Role of Sun Exposure in Optimizing Your Cellular Health” for more information.

Get enough sleep at night, minimize your stress, and incorporate moderate-intensity movement, such as walking, in your lifestyle. These strategies will support your cellular energy production and aid in weight management.

Remember, the shortcut to optimal health — and healthy weight loss — does NOT exist. If you're still tempted to start using weight loss medications, use caution; make sure to read the studies, familiarize yourself with the side effects, and make sure you understand the dangers of these drugs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Ozempic and Oral Health

Q: What are “Ozempic teeth,” and why are people talking about them?

A: “Ozempic teeth” refers to a cluster of dental issues — such as tooth decay, gum infections, dry mouth, and enamel erosion — reported by users of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. These side effects are not listed on drug labels, but dentists and patients are seeing a consistent pattern of sudden, severe oral deterioration.

Q: How do GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic damage your teeth and gums?

A: These drugs reduce saliva production, which normally helps clean the mouth and protect teeth. They also slow digestion, increasing acid reflux and vomiting — both of which bathe the teeth in acid. This combination erodes enamel, inflames gums, and creates the perfect environment for bacteria to thrive.

Q: Who is most at risk for these oral and bone-related side effects?

A: People with already compromised dental health, dry mouth, or poor digestion are especially vulnerable. Older adults, postmenopausal women, and those with low muscle mass are also at higher risk for severe bone loss and fractures caused by the rapid loss of lean tissue on these drugs.

Q: What’s causing the bad breath and strange taste changes reported with Ozempic use?

A: Reduced saliva allows harmful bacteria to thrive, leading to bad breath. Some users also report “Ozempic tongue,” where food tastes bland or unappealing. This shift is likely due to how GLP-1 drugs affect dopamine and taste perception, altering how the brain processes food-related pleasure.

Q: What are safer, long-term alternatives to GLP-1 weight loss drugs like Ozempic?

A: Instead of relying on injections, focus on restoring your body’s ability to produce energy efficiently. Start by removing vegetable oils from your diet, gradually reintroduce healthy carbohydrates like fruit or white rice, especially if your gut is sensitive, and prioritize protein and collagen (0.8 grams per pound of ideal body weight, with one-third from collagen). Support your mitochondria with sun exposure, quality sleep, stress reduction, and consistent movement like walking.

Sources and References

• 1 Look Meds, March 27, 2025
• 2, 6 Fox News, May 28, 2025
• 3, 5 The Hearty Soul, June 1, 2025
• 4, 7, 8 The Conversation, June 4, 2025
• 9 LADBible, May 13, 2025
• 10, 13 LADBible, June 3, 2025
• 11 N Engl J Med 2021;384:989-1002
• 12 Daily Mail, June 2, 2025
• 14 LADBible, May 9, 2025
• 15 Journal of Endodontics, Volume 50, Issue 10, October 2024, Pages 1370-1380
• 16 Neurology, September 5, 2023, Issue 101 (10) e1056-e1068