Illicit Drugs and Their Effects on Teeth

 

It is well known that drug users often have dental issues that are attributed to their drug use -- meth being the most well-known, as the drug is literally an acid that eats teeth, bone, flesh, and anything else it comes into contact with. However, there are many other illicit drugs that have effects on teeth that are not as widely-known. We will discuss these teeth-destroying drugs in this article:

Tobacco Usage and Tooth Decay

Tobacco is a carcinogen, which means it is a cancer causing product, but it is also laced with literally thousands of other chemicals as well. The chemicals in the caustic smoke stain teeth with yellow tar, but the real damage is done to the gums. Gum disease is very common in smokers, and as the disease progresses -- and the gums recede -- teeth begin to loosen and fall out. While the smoke does not severely damage the tooth itself, a tooth will fall out if there are no gums to hold it in.

Cocaine and Opiate Usage and Tooth Damage

While cocaine does not have a direct, strong affect on teeth themselves, cocaine  and other opiate usage leads to a wide range of dental issues. Cocaine and other opiates leech calcium from the body; without adequate calcium, bones and teeth become brittle and start to chip and break. Add to the brittleness, the affect that cocaine has in making users grind their teeth for hours on end, and users are guaranteed to have dental problems. Additionally, opiates destroy mucus membranes and soft tissues like the septum and gums, which also can lead to sinus and teeth problems.

Severe Addiction and Tooth Loss

One form of tooth loss that is the same across addicts of drugs ranging from alcohol to heroin, is tooth loss and decay due to malnutrition. An alcoholic on a bender will go days without eating, as will a heroin addict, or a meth addict... This lack of eating causes nutritional problems that very quickly lead to tooth loss and decay.

In-short, the use of drugs -- in many of their forms -- adversely affect the health and hygiene of your mouth and teeth. No matter what chemicals you are abusing or experimenting with, they are going to affect your teeth.

 

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