Effects of Drugs and Alcohol in the Oral Cavity

1181 Words3 Pages

From the beginning of time drugs and alcohol have been a part of society for both medicinal and recreational use. Although alcohol has been around since as early as 10,000 B.C. other harmful drugs such as methamphetamine have gained popularity in the past few decades. There are also prescription drugs that are as harmful and addictive as street drugs when taken continuously in large doses over time such as Dilantin. This report will discuss in depth the long term damage of drug and alcohol abuse in the oral cavity.

Methamphetamine is not a new drug, although it has become more powerful in recent years as the process for producing meth has evolved. It is reported that approximately 13 million people over the age of 12 have used methamphetamine at least once and 529,000 of those are regular users. Methamphetamine is extremely addictive.

Methamphetamine is made in part from common items such as Lye, Iodine, Drano, brake fluid and Sudafed. Because Meth is produced several different ways it can be smoked, snorted, injected or swallowed to get the drug into your system. Regardless the route of administration this drug will cause a condition known as meth mouth. This condition is usually more severe with users that inject the drug and is very hard to treat.

Meth mouth is defined as a dental condition that causes severe decay and loss of teeth due to lack of oral hygiene, poor nutrition and eating or drinking too much sugar over an extended period of time. Meth users can also experience mouth sores. These are little white sores that can pop up on the tongue of users that smoke meth. The sores are caused by the combination of highly addictive chemicals used to make meth. Although these sores can be very painful and...

... middle of paper ...

...le.com/#q=when+did+meth+start

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine

http://www.lynnpolice.org/ingredients_of_meth.htm

http://alcoholism.about.com/cs/meth/f/meth_faq03.htm

http://www.ask.com/question/tongue-sores-crystal-meth

http://www.ask.com/dilantin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epileptic_seizure

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1076264-overview

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gingival_enlargement

http://www.rxlist.com/dilantin-side-effects-drug-center.htm

http://www.niaaa.nih.gov/

https://www.duffysrehab.com/blog/top-10-most-commonly-abused-drugs-and-their-effects

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21542250

http://www.hamsnetwork.org/acetaldehyde/

http://healthysmilesofga.com/how-alcohol-affects-your-teeth/

http://www.emedicinehealth.com/cancer_of_the_mouth_and_throat/page2_em.htm

More about Effects of Drugs and Alcohol in the Oral Cavity

Open Document