Methamphetamine Use Can Cause “Destructive Dental Effects

In an opinion piece for the San Francisco Chronicle (1/14, Subscription Publication), Lola Giusti, DDS, an associate professor at the University of the Pacific’s Arthur A. Dugoni School of Dentistry in San Francisco, discussed the “destructive dental effects” of methamphetamine abuse, stating that “dentists can recognize a distinctive and often severe pattern of decay that seems to spread through a mouth like wildfire.” In addition, Dr. Giusti stated that “the tooth decay meth unleashes is nearly impossible to reverse.” Dr. Giusti said that “the evidence is in” for how methamphetamine use affects dental health, pointing to JADA’s December cover storyexamining dental disease in methamphetamine users. “Researchers began studying the mechanisms behind this rapid dental destruction and found that even a year after quitting meth, the user’s saliva remains acidic,” Dr. Giusti said, adding that “when paired with poor oral hygiene, this biochemical phenomenon exerts a permanent effect on teeth and health.” Dr. Giusti recommended meth users receive help from a support program, and then visit a dentist right away.

        Visit MouthHealthy.org for additional information on “Meth Mouth.”