Recognizing Dental Complications Of Drug Abuse
There are many serious dental complications of drug abuse, especially when anesthetics and other pain relievers are used by dentists because these can dangerously interact with the drugs being abused such as ecstasy, methamphetamine, and cocaine. Serious health problems such as episodes of very high blood pressure can take place as a result of this interaction. Even alcoholics who have a high chance of having liver problems might have to face dangerous consequences if the dentist prescribes acetaminophen, a common pain reliever.
The dental complications of drug abuse could take a different shape when the drugs, such as narcotic pain relievers that a dentist might prescribe after dental surgery, might be abused by the patient. A survey has shown that nearly 6.2 million Americans abused prescription drugs in 2002. Another aspect of the prescription drugs is that ex-drug users who are under recovery could face a relapse if they are prescribed opioid pain relievers.
The physical aspects of the dental complications of drug abuse are caries (severe tooth decay), ulcers and mouth sores, depleted production of saliva, stains and eroding of the teeth that are a result of teeth grinding due to anxiety, gum disease, and overall bad oral hygiene. The dental complications of drug abuse, if the drug is methamphetamine, can be very severe as there can be a sudden appearance of the above ill-effects.
It’s, therefore, in the interest of the patients to reveal to the dentist whether they have used street drugs in the recent past or whether they have a history of alcoholism or drug abuse. They should also indicate whether they are in the process of recovery from drug addiction or alcoholism.