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"METH MOUTH"

The use of methamphetamine can have a devastating effect on oral health a condition known as "meth mouth". In addition to posing numerous threats to overall health, meth use exposes users to rampant tooth decay in a dstinctive pattern on the smooth front surface of the teeth and the spaces between these teeth. Meth users teeth have been described as "blackened, stained, rotting, crumbling or falling apart," and often the teeth cannot be saved and must be extracted.
The causes of meth-related tooth decay incluses the following: 1) the acidic nature of the drug (acids literally "melt" the outer layer of enamel of the teeth), 2) the way the drug reduces the amount of protective saliva around the teeth (saliva buffers acids in the mouth), 3) the craving the drug induces for high-calorie carbonated beverages (again, think acids), 4) the tendency of users to grind and clench their teeth (meth induces hyperactivity in muscles) and 5) the long duration of the drug action (12 hours plus) which leads to long periods of neglect of the user's oral hygiene.
According to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 12.3 Americans age 12 and older have tried methamphetimine at least once in their lifetimes (5.2% of the population) with the majority of past-year users between 18 and 34 years of age. Trafficers have aggressively targeted rural areas in an effort to escope law enforcement and most use is found in the western, southwestern and midwestern United States.
posted by Steve at 11:02 AM