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Abstract #150892

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Sandra Nagel Beebe, RDH, PhD, School of Allied Health, Dental Hygiene, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, ASA, MC 6615, Carbondale, IL 62901, 618 453-7202, sbeebe@siu.edu

Are you aware of another type of “Special Population?” Have you any general or dental knowledge to identify a methamphetamine addict or a recovered methamphetamine addict? The National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 2004, stated approximately 11.7 million (4.9%) Americans ages 12 and older reported trying amphetamine's at least once during their lifetimes. Methamphetamine is growing out of control across the nation. It has drifted from the west coast eastward. If it's not in my backyard, we'll just bury our heads and hide. Most dental professionals know little or nothing about this drug. One needs to understand both the psychological and physiological effects of metamphetamine's regarding dental patients. A brief history of metamphetamine's will be reviewed with discussion of characteristics, nomenclature/ street names, allure of the drug, body effects, description of the typical user, consequences of use, and treatment. Trends, production and trafficking, availability, and distribution patterns will be outlined. The most important part of the discussion will be the dental consequences from methamphetamine use. Dental considerations are xerostomia, decay, perio disease, crazing, dental erosion, and bruxism. Key “profile” identifiers will be presented. Long term consequences will be reviewed with probabilities of methamphetamine rehab patients in your practice. Awareness for dealing with potential patients or family members, specifically children, will be identified. This is a “dangerous” population in our society that dental professionals need to be able to identify quickly and be aware of the associated oral health treatments and considerations necessary for dental care.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe the history, description, and characteristics of methamphetamines, effects on the body, trafficking and distribution patterns and the allure of the drug;
• Identify the "meth mouth" user describing the potental oral health problems-- xerostommia, decay, perio disease, crazing, and bruxism; and
• Be able to assess the psychological and physiological profile of a methamphetamine user and the potential problems associated with children of methamphetamine producers.

Keywords: Oral Health Needs, Drug Abuse

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Slides (pdf) or Handout