Oral health of the methamphetamine abuser

Abstract

Methamphetamine use causes xerostomia secondary to sympathetic central nervous system activation, rampant caries caused by high-sugar intake in the absence of protective saliva, and bruxism as a result of hyperactivity. Practitioners should know how to recognize the signs of and manage the oral health of patients with a history of methamphetamine use.

Evaluation of methamphetamine-associated socioeconomic status and addictive behaviors, and their impact on oral health

“…Recently, however, the severe consequences of chronic methamphetamine abuse has been described and, in particular, those on the stomatognathic system, which consists of the mouth, teeth, intraoral tissue, and jaws (Curtis, 2006;Donaldson & Goodchild, 2006;Hamamoto & Rhodus, 2009). The term "Meth Mouth" first appeared in the professional literature in 2005 based on findings in the United States (Rhodus & Little, 2005).…”

Randomized, placebo-controlled trial of bupropion for the treatment of methamphetamine dependence

“…The immediate somatic effects of MA intake include increased blood pressure and heart rate (Newton et al, 2005), raising the risk for fatal cardiac rhythm disturbances and cerebral hemorrhaging (Mokhlesi et al, 2004) as well as acute coronary syndrome and myocardial infarction (Chen, 2007;Turnipseed et al, 2003;Wijetunga et al, 2004). Moreover, MA using populations are at high risk of infection with Hepatitis C virus (Gonzales et al, 2006) and HIV (Peck et al, 2005;Shoptaw et al, 2003) and frequently develop severe dental decay and multiple caries (Donaldson and Goodchild, 2006). MA users also have significant rates of co-morbid mood and anxiety disorders and are at significantly higher risk of developing a psychotic disorder than the general population and may continue to experience psychotic symptoms even years after stopping MA use (Zweben et al, 2004).…”

Dental and oral health status of an Iranian population of drug abusers: A comparative study

“…The present study shows a high predominance of TMJ disorders in the methamphetamine abusers as compared to the non-methamphetamine addicts. TMJ disorders can be attributed to the effect of methamphetamine on saliva (decreasing salivary flow), which results to enamel erosion, periodontal disease, and temporomandibular disorders [8][9][10]. The DMFT of the examined addicts showed a significant difference between the methamphetamine and none methamphetamine abusers.…”

“…In addition, the most outstanding consequence of the longterm use of methamphetamine on oro-dental health is the development of tooth decay, in which the teeth of the addict appears to be dark and in the process of decaying. The effects of illicit drugs on oral and dental health have been evaluated in some studies over the recent decades, but only few have assessed the effects of hallucinogens [8][9][10].…”