Funded Projects

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Project # Project Title Research Focus Area Research Program Administering IC Institution(s) Investigator(s) Location(s) Year Awarded
1R01DE033321-01
Elucidating High Oral Fluid Exposure Mechanisms of Buprenorphine to Reduce Dental Caries Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Oral Complications Arising From Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON HU, MING (contact); WANG, BING-YAN Houston, TX 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Oral Complications Arising from Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DE-23-015
Summary:

Buprenorphine is commonly used in medication-assisted treatment of opioid use disorders. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a warning that the drug may lead to serious tooth damage in some patients. It is thought that high concentrations of the drug in saliva may contribute to tooth damage and decay. This project will use a mouse model of dental caries to explore the mechanism leading to high buprenorphine concentrations in saliva and examine ways to reduce concentrations in the mouth but not the rest of the body; it will also examine buprenorphine’s effects on the bacteria that lead to caries development.
1R01DE033318-01
Understanding the Association Between Sublingual Buprenorphine and Oral Health Outcomes Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Oral Complications Arising From Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY ROJAS RAMIREZ, MARCIA VANESSA (contact); OYLER, DOUGLAS Lexington, KY 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Oral Complications Arising from Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DE-23-015
Summary:

Sublingual buprenorphine is a standard treatment for opioid use disorder and is considered safe and effective. However, in 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised that buprenorphine is linked to oral disease. However, the underlying studies did not measure when oral disease started, how it progressed, or if other risk factors were present. How sublingual buprenorphine may impact oral health also remains unclear. This project will follow adults in two U.S. states who take sublingual buprenorphine or other medications for opioid use disorder to understand if and how these medications increase the extent, onset, and progression of oral disease, accounting for other risk factors.
1R01DE033322-01
Comparative Risk of Oral Complications Associated with Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: A Mixed-Methods Approach Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Oral Complications Arising From Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders NIDCR UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH AT PITTSBURGH ROY, PAYEL JHOOM (contact); BUTLER, ANNE MOBLEY Pittsburgh, PA 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Oral Complications Arising from Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders (R01 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DE-23-015
Summary:

Recently, concerns have been voiced that medications to treat opioid use disorder (OUD) may contribute to dental problems, including cavities and tooth loss. These concerns may contribute to barriers preventing use of these medications. A better understanding of the effects of these medications on oral complications is critical. This project will use national databases to link dental, medical, and pharmacy claims data for Medicaid- or commercially-insured new users of various medications for OUD to determine and compare oral health outcomes. The project will also examine the perspectives and experiences of people with OUD on oral health.
1R21DE033319-01
Oral Complications From Sublingual Buprenorphine Treatment: A Prospective Cohort Study Novel Therapeutic Options for Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Oral Complications Arising From Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders NIDCR BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL SUZUKI, JOJI Boston, MA 2023
NOFO Title: HEAL Initiative: Oral Complications Arising from Pharmacotherapies to Treat Opioid Use Disorders (R21 Clinical Trial Not Allowed)
NOFO Number: RFA-DE-23-016
Summary:

Buprenorphine is used for treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD), and patients often take it for many years by slowly dissolving it in the mouth. In 2022, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned about possible oral complications from buprenorphine use, including tooth decay, oral infections, and tooth loss. However, this warning was largely based on small studies with no comparison group and no assessment of other risk factors such as limited dental care. This project will follow two groups of individuals with OUD who take either sublingual buprenorphine or methadone, to compare their oral health and understand barriers and facilitators of dental care. The results will be used to plan an intervention for preventing and treating oral diseases in this patient group.