ISM Mid-Term Presentation

The Effects of Methamphetamine on Tooth Health

Nicholas TiptonISM Medical/Healthcare Spring Semester 2014 Period 7

Mrs. Click

Mentorship Description

Mentor: Dr. Michael Moore DDS• Graduated from UT Dental School• Practices with two other Dentists• Uses general dentistry procedures such as root canals, fillings, crowns,

as well as extractions and denture workMentorship Site: Aesthetic and Comprehensive Dentistry of Clear LakeCareer/Specialty of Study: General Dentistry

Photos with Mentor and in Office

http://www.pharmacology2000.com/Autonomics/Adrenergics1/meth-m1.jpg

http://www.alltreatment.com/uploads/meth_mouth_2.jpg

General Tooth Hygiene

Proper hygiene includes brushing twice a day, as well as the inclusion of other dental care procedures such as flossing, using fluorides and visiting the dentist regularly in order to ensure proper hygienic routines are taking place. Individuals should also see dentists when inflammation or pain to the mouth and/or teeth in hopes of minimizing any future problems to the patient’s health.Morbidity • Percent of children ages 6-19 years with untreated dental caries: 15.6% (2007-2010)• Percent of adults ages 20-64 years with untreated dental caries: 23.7% (2005-2008)Health care use• Percent of children ages 2-17 with a dental visit in the past year: 81.4% (2011)• Percent of adults ages 18-64 with a dental visit in the past year: 61.6% (2011)• Percent of adults ages 65 and over with a dental visit in the past year: 61.2% (2011)

Project Topic – Effect of Meth on the Teeth• Researching both the short term and long term effects of prolonged

meth usage• Using both case study's and personal narratives of meth users as primary

information sources. Noticing any trends and similarities between various cases.• Using X-Rays and patient’s documentation to document the changes of

the teeth, and dental procedures that could be directly linked to meth usage and the harm that it causes to teeth.• Incorporating a mold of a non-user’s teeth as well as a user’s teeth in

order to show the full extent of damage that results from prolonged meth use

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1536&bih=722&q=meth+mouth&oq=meth+mouth&gs_l=img.3..0l10.11489.12211.0.12339.10.7.0.1.1.0.109.467.6j1.7.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..2.8.470.y0Lju9lQceI#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=H00BwFbkNAt9YM%253A%3BMGGpADK5_QZX3M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdeworld.com%252Fimages%252Fgraphics%252F4463%252Flg%252Ffigure_3_lg.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fcdeworld.com%252Fcourses%252F4463-Methamphetamine%253AOral_Effects_and_Treatment%3B650%3B433

General Information about Methamphetamine • A chemical composition of pseudoephedrine and various other

hazardous chemicals make up meth, and is most commonly made within suburban areas in America, as well as smuggled in from Mexico• Nearly 500 tons are created each year, supplying the addictions of

over 24.7 million abusers in the United States• 13 million people over the age of 12 has reported that they have used

methamphetamine at least once, with 529,000 being regular users• Between the years 1996, and 2006, the percentage of users has

reportedly tripled which some states reaching extreme amounts (such as Hawaii’s reported 48.2%)

Neurological Effects of Methamphetamine• The overstimulation of dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, and neurotoxins

eventually lead to receptor blocks which disallows users to feel the excitement that they would during initial using of meth• Develop a lack of senses and feelings neurologically which disallows users to

achieve chemically induced feelings• Aside from overall brain damage, users experience hallucinogenic feelings as well

as psychotic actions such as hearing and seeing things• Prolonged use damages parts of the brain that aids in short term memory loss,

causing the user to eventually lose all sense of memory if extended usage occurs• When users decide to break their addictions, they would shortly thereafter

experience intense withdraw systems caused by the ceasing of the provision of the brain chemicals that catalyze the experience of feelings

Physical Effects of Methamphetamine • Injection of methamphetamine destroys blood vessels due to its acidic

properties as well as the destruction of skin tissues (lack of blood flow along with acidity) • Blood vessels eventually become more and more constricted which results in

loose and unhealthy skin, higher chances of blood clotting, decay of skin, and skin lesions• Because of psychotic tendencies, users tend to hurt themselves in order to

appease their hallucinations which can lead to many of the sores that meth users are characterized by• Users commonly find themselves severely underweight which is caused by,

“meth runs”, which are long periods of time where users are high and do not feel themselves hungry

https://www.google.com/search?site=&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1536&bih=722&q=meth+mouth&oq=meth+mouth&gs_l=img.3..0l10.11489.12211.0.12339.10.7.0.1.1.0.109.467.6j1.7.0....0...1ac.1.42.img..2.8.470.y0Lju9lQceI#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=-nRPSc-4MzFItM%253A%3B-O5Z652WePRFZM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.tcdodenver.com%252F2011%252Fwp-content%252Fthemes%252FTCDO%252Fstyles%252F_shared%252Fsmiles%252F33.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.tcdodenver.com%252Fnew-smile-after-effects-of-meth-mouth%252F%3B998%3B329

Short Term Effects of Methamphetamine on the Teeth (Other than Meth Mouth)• Many effects that meth has on the body could be seen as non-

damaging, as many of the side effects are things that are not deadly in a short term sense• Increased heart rates, sporadic and increased energy levels, the

appearance of hallucinations as well as psychotic episodes, and extreme increases in body temperature most likely caused by the increased heart rate• Users may find themselves with dry mouths almost immediately • Depending on the user’s reaction to the drug, convulsions may occur

Long Term Effects of Methamphetamine on the Teeth (Other than Meth Mouth)• Lowered immunity to other illnesses that they would have been able to prevent

before meth usage• Stroke or death which is caused by decreased heart rate and constriction and

collapsing of blood vessels• Liver damage• An overall disorganized lifestyle that is fueled by the strong desire to achieve the

feelings that are achieved before meth use as well as the feelings during the meth high• Damages to the skin which include decreased elasticity, damaged blood vessels,

lesions, and damages caused by the individual to the skin during hallucinations and/or psychotic episodes• The appearance of aging to the users body (loose wrinkly skin)

http://cbsnews1.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/r/2011/09/21/9035ead1-a643-11e2-a3f0-029118418759/resize/620x465/methmouth8.jpg?hash=9f047340fade050e5f13941578de23e9

Independent Research

"Meth and the Brain." PBS. PBS, 2011. Web. 09 Apr. 2014.<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/meth/body/>

• Meth releases dopamine which is what meth users desire, it gives them the euphoria or the high • Over time, meth destroys or blocks dopamine receptors and reuptakes so that it is impossible to feel pleasure • Pleasure centers can heal over time, but user’s cognitive abilities damages may be permanent• Chronic abuse may lead to psychological disorders such as paranoia, insomnia, anxiety, aggression, delusions, hallucinations, and

even death• After a 6-12 hour high period, users become severely depressed, and feel as if they need to keep taking the drug in order to get back

to how they felt before• After regrowth of damaged brain cells, chronic meth users find themselves faced with symptoms similar to Parkinson’s disease, with

lacking physical and mental tasks• Meth users destroy their blood vessels and tissues which make it harder and harder for the body to repair itself• Acne increases and takes longer to heal because of the damaged tissues and blood vessels, making the users appear much older

than what they may be• Some corrosive materials that effect the teeth the most in meth include anhydrous ammonia, phosphorus, and lithium• Users get dry mouth because of shrunk blood vessels that supply to the mouth which directly decreases the amount of saliva that is

produced

Independent Research Davey, Monica. "Grisly Effect Of One Drug: 'Meth Mouth'" The New York Times. The New York Times, 10 June 2005. Web. 10 Apr. 2014.

<http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/11/national/11meth.html?pagewanted=all>.

• Areas with dense meth use typically has no, or a small influence by dentists or dental professionals• Dentists avoid these areas in order to make more business in other areas, and the fear of not being able to make enough business in that particular

area to keep a practice running • Dentists procedures are limited to just pulling out the roots of decayed teeth that have broken off at the gum-line• Meth usage decreases the amount of saliva that is secreted in the mouth, which is what maintains the pH levels, as well as keeping the bacteria

count low in the mouth• Usage also makes the user crave sugary drinks, and is commonly associated with Mountain Dew and other sugary energy drinks• This damage starts near the gums and move toward the edge of the teeth• Meth users are also commonly recognized by their clenching, and grinding that is caused by nervousness, or being frightened that meth users

commonly experience• Average dental bills for meth patients that require procedures such as x-rays, fillings, crowns, and implants typically cost themselves $7,000• Dentures are almost always the end result for patients who have or had prolonged use of meth• The effects of meth hasn’t been recognized because meth is something that has had a chance to sink in longer in rural areas • Many patients do not suffer from much pain, despite the fact that their teeth are almost completely destroyed; this is due to the numbing agents in

meth• Jails and prisons report a huge increase to dental bills due to increases in meth users, therefore causing a higher demand for dentures

Final Product

• The final product that I plan on completing will be a filled mold that I will make myself of both the teeth of a healthy individual as well as a filled mold of someone that has been using meth for a prolonged time period. • By creating two molds, it will be evident the effects that meth may

have on teeth health, and will be able to outline the dramatic changes that teeth typically succumb to. • In addition, I plan on creating a poster board with pictures of x-rays,

bite wing, pictures of molds, and pictures of patients teeth that show the effects of meth usage.

http://media.wcnc.com/images/methmouth1_620x350_2+(9).jpg

Conclusion

• While many are aware of and often are somewhat educated on the drug meth, the effects on the teeth are many times overlooked• Commonly referred to within the dental community as “meth-

mouth”, the changes in the mouth are dramatic in that they completely destroy healthy teeth. • My aim of this project is to provide information about the ill effects of

meth usage in hopes to provide a basis of negative connotations to its usage.

http://methmouthpictures.org/images/Pictures-Meth-Mouth.jpg

Relevant Information

• Meth Mouth is characterized by the tooth decay or disintegration of the space between the crown and root of the teeth that are located on the sides of the mouth. • Attributes to the mouth’s lack of saliva that contributes to the tooth decay

that is common in meth user’s mouth. • The only saliva found in the user’s mouth is a high protein saliva that may

also contribute to the tooth decay.• User’s have high desires for sugary food and sugary drinks in order to

compensate for the lack of saliva during binges which accelerate the process of tooth decay. • http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/750195_2

Sources

Held interviews with three of the following dental professionals discussing various methamphetamine related questions:• Dr. Michael Moore DDS• Dr. Magi Crofcheck DDS• Dr. Michael Anton DDS

Online Sources

• "Crystal Methamphetamine Use Statistics - The Meth Epidemic - Drug-Free World." Crystal Methamphetamine Use Statistics - The Meth Epidemic - Drug-Free World. N.p., 2006. Web. 05 May 2014.• "Methamphetamine." National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA).

2012|. Web. 05 May 2014. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/methamphetamine>.• "Drug Fact Sheet Methamphetamine." DEA Drug Fact Sheet.

Department of Justice. Web. 5 May 2014|. <http://www.justice.gov/dea/druginfo/drug_data_sheets/Methamphetamine.pdf>.

Thank You

I would like to thank the following people for aiding me in learning about this career field:• Dr. Michael Moore DDS• Dr. Michael Anton DDS • Dr. Magi Crofcheck DDS, PA• Mrs. Click