Drug study

Drug for sulation. The study, led by Hooman Baghaie
from the University of Queensland in
Australia, showed that drug use affects
oral health through direct physiological
routes such as dry mouth, an increased
urge for snacking, clenching and
grinding of teeth and chemical erosion
from applying cocaine to teeth and
gums.
The lifestyle that often accompanies
problematic drug use also affects oral
health through high sugar diets,
malnutrition, poor oral hygiene, and
lack of regular professional dental care.
Patients with substance use disorders
also exhibited greater tooth loss, non-
carious tooth loss and destructive
periodontal disease.
In addition, tolerance to pain killers and
anaesthetics also contributes to poor
dental care, the researchers said, in the
paper published in the journal
Addiction.
Oral health has significant
consequences on quality of life and
general health. In addition to functional
and self-esteem issues that accompany
bad teeth, the chronic inflammation
and bacteraemia (bacteria in the blood)
characteristic of poor oral health
increases the incidence of coronary
heart disease, stroke, diabetes and
respiratory disease.
Researchers suggested that doctors
and clinicians should screen people
with substance use disorders for oral
diseases and arrange for dental care as
needed.
"They should consider using sugar-free
preparations when prescribing
methadone as well as warn patients of
the oral health risks associated with dry
mouth and cravings for sweet foods,"
Baghaie suggested.
For the study, the team combined the
results of 28 studies from around the
world, which collectively provided data
on 4,086 dental patients with substance
use disorder and 28,031 controls.