The American Dental Association wants more dentists and patients to understand the devastating effects the illegal drug methamphetamine has on oral health, a condition known by some as "meth mouth."
In addition to numerous threats to overall health, methamphetamine users risk rampant tooth decay in a distinctive pattern on the smooth front surface of the teeth and the spaces between the front teeth, the ADA reports on its Web site.
Methamphetamine users' teeth have been described as "blackened, stained, rotting, crumbling or falling apart." Often, the teeth cannot be saved and must be extracted.
The causes of methamphetamine-related tooth decay include:
- the acidic nature of the drug,
- the way the drug reduces the amount of protective saliva around the teeth,
- the craving the drug induces for high calorie carbonated beverages,
- the tendency of users to grind and clench their teeth, and
- the long duration of the drug (12 hours versus one hour for cocaine), which leads to long periods of time when users are not likely to brush and floss their teeth.
According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12.3 million Americans age 12 and older had tried methamphetamine at least once in their lifetimes (5.2 percent of the population), with the majority of past-year users between 18 and 34 years of age.
Traffickers have aggressively targeted rural areas in an effort to escape law enforcement, and most use is found in the western, southwestern, and Midwestern U.S.
Dental professionals who suspect patients may be using methamphetamine can:
- Complete a comprehensive oral examination that includes taking a thorough dental and medical history
- Attempt to educate the patient about the profound negative effects the drug can have on oral health
- Refer the patient to such resources as physicians or drug counseling services
- Use preventive measures such as topical fluorides
- Encourage the patient to drink water instead of sugar-containing carbonated beverages
- Be cautious when administering local anesthetics, sedatives, or general anesthesia, nitrous oxide or prescribing narcotics because of potential drug interaction.
- Take opportunities to educate patients about the risks associated with methamphetamine or any illicit drug use.