Drug addiction may cause
tooth decay
If you are addicted to
drugs, its high time you call it a quit as a research has found that doing
drugs can also cause tooth decay.
The findings, 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.
Source: www.zeenews.india.com
18.03.2017
I destroy my enemies when I make
them my friends
Abraham Lincoln
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