The Kernel of Meth Teeth Disease and Ways of Its Treatment
Meth teeth are a condition where there is progressive destruction of the hard tissues of the oral cavity, brought on by an addiction to the medication methamphetamine. Methamphetamine is a psychoactive stimulant drug which increases the vigilance and vigor of a person. Thus, when taken in high doses, it might also lead to euphoria, increased self-esteem and an increase in sexual pleasure. Besides some of the most evident side effects of methamphetamine, like increased heart rate, hypertension, dizziness, and so on, one will also show symptoms like meth teeth. Meth teeth consist of symptoms which are brought on by overuse of methamphetamine.
Among the most visible meth teeth symptoms is rather rapidly progressing tooth decay. Tooth decay is characteristic of this condition because unlike normal tooth decay where cavities normally begin near the fissures and on the occlusal surface of teeth, in meth abuse cases, caries emerges near the gingival margins of teeth. Hereby, the caries are smooth surface caries, and they progress not upwards but inwards.
Acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, or ANUG is also observed in relation with meth teeth. This is actually a periodical illness, where the gums get adversely infected and develop large, non-healing ulcers on their surface. Though this symptom may be transient and might even resolve without the need for any active treatment, it may be recurrent in nature.
The treatment of meth teeth is rather difficult. First of all, unless and until the individual stops taking methamphetamine entirely, there’s totally no scope for amelioration. In reality, most cases of meth teeth that come to the dentist are in such bad condition, that more or less there’s very little scope of reversing the damage that is done. Most cases require full mouth rehabilitation cure. This is because, only curing the teeth and not the gums, or vice versa, tends to give merely temporal results. Therefore, there is often need for root canal treatment, bridges, crowns, gum surgeries, and so forth, in combinations, depending upon the condition of the oral cavity.