Meth In Today's Modern Culture

n today’s modern culture, meth is quickly becoming part of the conditions of a broad audience. After being featured in the popular television show “Breaking Bad,” meth has regained a popularity not seen in twenty years. Currently, meth is a featured player in “Homefront,” a film starring Jason Statham and James Franco. Its popularity is growing and its audience is broad, ranging from the coastal hipster to the urban working man. Despite meth’s cultural awareness becoming ever popular, its oral health complications must not be taken lightly.

Methamphetamine, also known as meth, speed, crystal, or ice, is highly addictive and its allure is that it takes consumers on a psychedelic adventure promising an unmatched bliss. Despite its association with the drug LSD because of its similar high, meth’s side affects are extremely more harmful to one’s oral health. Drugs such as LSD and Shrooms may cause similar bliss feelings but they do not cause the

The extreme dry mouth (xerostomia) that results from meth abuse leads to a progression of decay along the gingiva. In an extreme dry mouth environment, there is a significant decrease in salivary enzymes that kill the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease. In addition, when meth abusers are high, many partake in “buzzing,” where they will consume sugary foods and soda during cravings. The acids in the soda and the glucose in the sugary foods facilitate bacteria to continue their proliferation.

In the late stages of meth mouth, the results are debilitating. After a continuous cycle of neglectful oral hygiene, dry mouth, rampant tooth decay, progressive gum disease, and a high-risk diet, teeth can decay to the gingiva. This is when teeth can fall out and become decayed all the way to their roots. With many meth abusers, a long-term paranoia may also settle in, resulting in teeth grinding that catalyzes the fracture of teeth and tooth loss, resulting in partial and sometimes full