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A General Method for Evaluating Deep Brain Stimulation Effects on Intravenous Methamphetamine Self-Administration
Published on: January 22, 2016
The relationship between methamphetamine use and increased dental disease
Vivek Shetty1, Larissa J Mooney, Corwin M Zigler
1School of Dentistry, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1668, USA. vshetty@ucla.edu
Journal of the American Dental Association (1939)
|March 3, 2010
Summary
Methamphetamine users experience significantly higher rates of dental disease, including missing teeth, compared to nonusers. Injecting methamphetamine is linked to more severe dental issues than smoking it.
Area of Science:
- Oral health research
- Substance abuse studies
- Public health
Background:
- Methamphetamine (MA) use is anecdotally linked to severe dental problems.
- This study investigated the prevalence of dental comorbidities in MA users.
- The research aimed to quantify dental disease and explore the impact of MA administration methods on oral health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of dental comorbidities in MA users.
- To compare quantifiable dental disease and self-reported oral health problems between MA users and nonusers.
- To assess the influence of MA administration route on oral health outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Physicians conducted medical and oral assessments for 301 adults dependent on MA.
- Interviews collected patient self-reports on oral health and substance use.
- Propensity score matching created a comparison group of nonusers from NHANES III data.
Main Results:
- Dental disease was a prevalent comorbidity (41.3%) in MA users.
- MA users had significantly more missing teeth (4.58 vs. 1.96) and reported more oral health problems than controls.
- Intravenous MA use was associated with a higher likelihood of missing teeth compared to smoking MA.
Conclusions:
- Significant dental disease is a key comorbidity in MA users, with unmet oral health needs.
- Injecting MA is associated with higher rates of dental disease than smoking or inhaling it.
- Dental health concerns, particularly cosmetic ones, can serve as triggers for interventions; dentists are vital for early detection and care.
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