‘Ozempic Teeth', ‘Tongue', ‘Breath' As Possible GLP-1 Med Oral Effects

Forbes

24-05-2025

People have been mouthing off on social media about the different things that Ozempic and other glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists can supposedly do to, well, the inside of your mouth. There's what's been dubbed 'Ozempic teeth,' which encompasses dental problems like gum disease and tooth decay. But it's not just the tooth and nothing but the tooth that supposedly may be affected. There's also 'Ozempic breath,' which is being used to describe the bad breath that reportedly may occur.
Then there's 'Ozempic tongue,' which people are using to describe how such meds may affect the tongue, including changes in taste. In this case, changes in taste doesn't mean going from liking sweater vests to going all Boho-chic. Instead, it refers to dysgeusia, a taste disorder, where you feel that all foods taste funny, like metallic, sweet, sour or bitter.
I've already about other Ozempic (fill in body part here) terms that have circulating on social media like 'Ozmepic finger', 'Ozempic butt' and 'Ozempic feet.' The question then is do these claims about 'Ozempic teeth', 'Ozempic breath' and 'Ozempic tongue' have any teeth? Are they supported by scientific evidence? Or are they just more of the say-whatever-you-want-to-say-without-real-evidence that you see frequently on Instagram, TikTok, X and other social media platforms.
Well, there is a case series published in a real medical journal called Medicine of people suffering xerostomia when taking semaglutide containing medications. Semaglutide is the stuff in Ozempic and Wegovy that can do the appetite suppression leading to weight loss thing. When you hear 'xerostomia,' you may be thinking, 'Zero what?' It's actually a scientific term for having a dry mouth due to insufficient saliva production.
The case series described what happen to three female patients, ranging in ages from 27 to 46 years, who went to an oral medicine clinic in Saudia Arabia complaining about having severe dry mouths after taking semaglutide for weight loss for six to 16 weeks. While they were in the clinic, a modified Schirmer test confirmed their underproduction of saliva or hyposalivation.
In one case, discontinuing the semaglutide resulted in normal saliva production being restored. In another case, starting pilocarpine, a medication that can stimulate salivary glands, did the trick. And in the third case, the patient decided to continue the semaglutide just long enough to achieve a target amount of weight loss. After this happened, her normal saliva flow resumed.
It shouldn't be super surprising that taking GLP-1 agonists may affect saliva production. After all, studies of mice have suggested that glucagon-like peptide 1 can play a role in the production of saliva by salivary glands.
Of course, a case series and mouse studies alone can't tell you how common hyposalivation may be with taking Ozempic, Wegovy, Zepbound, Mounjaro or other such medicaitons. GLP-1 agonist use. But multiple dental office websites do mention dry mouth as a side effect of GLP-1 agonist use. This suggests that it could be relatively common. Nevertheless, more rigorous scientific studies would be needed to get more exact numbers.
Now, having xerostomia certainly doesn't mean having zero problems. Saliva doens't just give you something to swap when you kiss someone. You need enough saliva in your mouth to keep everything in there properly lubricated. Otherwise, things may start to stick with each other, like your tongue to the roof of your mouth.
The Cleveland Clinic website lists other potential problems with a dry mouth such as a constant sore throat. difficulty eating, speaking or swallowing, hoarseness and increased thirst. There is also the possibility of, bingo, changes in taste, bad breath, mouth and tongue sores, gum problems and tooth decay. Ways of treating xerostomia including stopping or reducing whatever may be inhibiting saliva production, using lozenges like ones that contain sorbitol or taking medication that stimulate saliva production like cevimeline and pilocarpine.
When it comes to accounting for taste or the taste changes that may occur with taking GLP-1 agonists, saliva underproduction may not be the only cause. Consider a study presented at ENDO 2024, which is the Endocrine Society's annual meeting that was held in guess what year, 2024. This study led by Mojca Jensterle Sever, PhD from the University Medical Centre in Ljubljana, Slovenia, consisted of 30 women with obesity and having half of them take semaglutide once a week and the other half taking a placebo for 16 weeks.
At the end of the study, those taking semaglutide had greater sensitivity to different tastes based on trying different strips soaked with stuff that was supposed to taste sweet, sour, salty and bitter. Biopsies of their tongues also revealed that those taking semaglutide had greater activity of genes that may be involved in taste bud renewal and transmission of nerve signals related to taste. Moreover, functional MRI scans revealed that those who had taken semaglutide had increased activity in the angular gyrus of the parietal cortex of their brains when getting a solution of sweet stuff placed on their tongues prior to and following a meal. The angular gyrus helps organize different signals from different parts of your body that capture sensory information like your tongue.
All of this also shouldn't be super surprising. After all, GLP-1 agonists are supposed to work by affecting GLP-1 receptors and in big part your appetite. The angular gyrus has plenty of GLP-1 receptors as well. Having sweet things taste more sweet and salty things taste may salty could reduce your desire to eat such foods. Of course, there's a difference between helpful alterations in taste and dysgeusia, where everything tastes so yucky that you can't get enough nutrients. More studies are needed, though, to confirm the aforementioned taste-altering findings and determine how common taste changes and dysgeusia may be.
So, existing evidence does give breath to these 'Ozempic Breath', 'Ozempic Teeth' and 'Ozempic Tongue' claims. And these potential side effects should be reminders that GLP-1 agonists are not magical and 'easy' ways to lose weight. Don't opt for such medications simply because you don't want to bother with improving your diet and increasing your physical activity. Otherwise, you could end up taking it in the mouth.