http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20050206/news_1n6meth.html Methamphetamine use linked to tooth decay ASSOCIATED PRESS February 6, 2005 MARYVILLE, Mo. – Jeffery Lotshaw flossed regularly. He brushed faithfully, sometimes four or five times in a day. All that care makes his condition seem incomprehensible – at the age of 33, Lotshaw's grin is toothless. "Before I started doing meth, I didn't have a cavity in my head," said Lotshaw, imprisoned on drug charges at Missouri's Maryville Treatment Center. The growing use of highly addictive methamphetamine throughout the country is creating a prominent scar on an increasing number of users – rotting, brittle teeth that seem to crumble from their mouths. Methamphetamine can be made with a mix of substances, including over-the-counter cold medicine, fertilizer, battery acid and hydrogen peroxide. Together, the chemicals reduce a user's saliva, which neutralizes acids and physically clears food from the teeth, said Dr. Eric Curtis, an Arizona-based spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry. "When the saliva isn't flowing, the bacteria build up a lot faster," said Dr. Darrell Morton, an Atlanta dentist. Meth users also may neglect their teeth, or moisten their dry mouths with high-sugar drinks, and anxiety caused by the drug prompts them to grind their teeth, which speeds decay. The problem is particularly noticeable among inmates, whose oral problems have some prison systems struggling to provide dental care. "Rotting teeth, missing teeth, rotting way into the gums," said Kathy Bachmeier, the head of medical services for North Dakota's prisons. "It's ugly." There are no statistics on "meth mouth" – as the condition has come to be known – because addicts are sometimes reluctant to admit their drug use and because it is difficult to distinguish between damage done by bad dental hygiene and that caused by narcotics. But there are signs it is on the rise around the country. The head of the company in charge of dental care for Missouri inmates says he is seeing teeth rotted by meth use nearly every day. In North Dakota, the number of days a dentist was serving inmates jumped from 50 in 2000 to 78 in 2004. And the tab for inmates' dental care in Minnesota rose from $1.2 million five years ago to about $2 million last year. "There are more and more urgent care needs, which pushes back routine care like cleanings," said Nanette Schroeder, director of health services for Minnesota's Corrections Department. "This is really an emerging problem."
not to mention you grind your teeth like a bitch, but i dont think this info makes much of a difference cause meth pretty much kills you brain and over works your heart but wait my teeth wont be as healthy o no ill stop meth right now
Amphetamines in general are really hard on your teeth...after all the speed, coke, Ecstasy and 2-CE I've done I'd probably even be lucky if a dentist would be willing to see me...
Ugh, tooth decay like crazy indeed. I used to be a heavy heavy meth user, unfortunatley, and now my teeth are pretty bad. I've been getting them fixed though. Stay away from stimulants.
man that's bullshit. Meth doesn't rot your teeth. It's all the government saying that - it's allllll propaganda (deep sarcasm)
Just to disavow the end of this topic, I believe I'll relay some of the consequences of my amp abuse: I'm a virgin; I've had the tongues of only TWO girls in my mouth...and I'm a 20-year-old man. At 14 I was hooked on speed, 16 on coke, 18 on rolls, and 19+ on psychedelic amps (2-CB, LSD, etc.). Whenever I visit a doctor or dentist, the first reaction I get is "Do you use marijuana or cocaine on a regular basis?" Even between regular brushing and flossing (three times a day), prescription fluorine treatment, 2-3 fillings every two months, and the taming of a glucose-heavy diet, my teeth are still slowly fading. I'm a decent-looking man, however, with the inclusion of ragged, amp-rittled teeth, most women won't even look at me. I've been marked as "another town crackie" and have even a remote chance of fucking even the most disease-infected cokewhore; aside from the regular migaraines and occasional visit to the ER to treat thus unidentified infections, I have the pleasure of having relatives jeering me on to smile for the family photo and the continuous need for silence in public to hide my hideous grin, should a slightly humorous comment surface from whatever conversation. There's a few simple rules to follow if one is to enjoy amphetamines to their full potential without a high risk of damage: Stay hydrated: 20 ounces of a fluid H20 per hour. Sports drinks (like Gatorade or Poweraide) are applicable, however, NO soft drinks (even club sodas such as Sprite or 7-UP) should be consumed. Keep "chew toys" handy: The only truely protective asset in this category is the pacifier; available at any dollar, grocery, department, or convenience store. Straws cut to 1 1/2" pieces, folded twice, and with the folded end pointed towards the rear of the mouth, lodged between the rear-most mollars is a good improvisation...however, any kind of candy (gum included), hard objects (pens, pencils), or body parts (fingers, lips) should obviously be avoided. Last, and not least, if one is to choose amphethamines as a regular method of intoxification/spiritual guidance, they should follow a VERY strict schedule of dental hygeine: rinse with mouthwash, brush, AND floss three times daily. Also take the time to schedule a regular check-up with your dentist every 6 months. Just a lecture from someone with experience...
hey bud, don't beat yourself up. We (us druggies) do not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it, meaning we learn from our mistakes. And what you are talking about isn't too serious. i mean, if you get your s*** together, you'll be able to fix yourself up. And that doesn't mean that you are ugly right now either. Tell yourself one day at a time "i will be the best person i can be". When you help someone else, your physical appearance doesn't matter.
No offense intended, but I find the "I don't regret anything I've done because it made me the man I am today" perspective to be a tad skewed; while there is some truth to it, we all make mistakes and there's always something we wish we could go back and change. As for beating myself up, nay...the reason I dragged it out so long is to correlate the minute details, so that maybe people who one day will be in the position that I was in can more easily recognise the consequences of their habits and can (hopefully) help themselves through a more satisfying experience when dealing with such enjoyable compounds.
My teeth are gone because of Pepsi abuse. I usually consume more than 8 cans a day, I don't brush or floss regularly, and it's been decades since my last dentist's visit. I have yet for someone to directly confront me citing my "unfortunate teeth" as a basis for suspecting me of meth or any other drug abuse, but the growing coverage of this phenomenon concerns me. In this land of prosperity, it's reasonable to assume there should be no reason for lack of dental health. But we also need to realize sometimes people have bad teeth for reasons other than illegal substance abuse. The notion that "the guy's teeth are rotten, so he's gotta be a crackhead" is just another unneeded stereotype. I'll be the first one to admit I have issues regarding my personal appearance. Most of the time my attire is less than appropriate for any situation ranking more than garbage pickup, and my hygeine could often draw a wince from a caveman (I hope the grip from the Geico commercial isn't here ). But given all this, I am happily married, and my wife, although at times finding herself consciously staying downwind, will defend her love for me despite my outward appearance. My teeth are desecrated from sugar and phosphoric acid, if they weren't, they would be irreparably stained by cigarette smoking. My liver is shot due to excessive consumption of alcohol and acetaminophen. My vision is blurred from too many hours in front of TVs and computer monitors. My brain is fried from all of the above, compounded by too many hours working and trying to survive the pitfalls of everyday life. If I would have tried to preserve my physical appearance in spite of all this, I would have surely driven myself insane many years ago. My only saving grace is that I hope most people will take a few moments when they meet me to try to understand who I am and what I feel before they judge me on what I've put my body through over the years, and not immediately assume I've destroyed myself by abusing amphetamines.
