Hi all,

I asked my dentist the other day their perspective on meth-mouth, and how much of it is a real effect of using stimulants vs. simply the fact that folks on stimulants may be awake for extended periods of time, breathing through their mouth, and not brushing their teeth or flossing.

She said that yes, a lot of it is due to people being irresponsible with their oral health on stimulants, but there is an effect unique to stimulants in that they amplify the body's fight or flight response, which reduces saliva production, and saliva contains minerals important for oral health. The damage tends to be cumulative rather than immediate, so you may not know that you're causing damage until it becomes too late and you already have painful cavities.

So she told me to share some oral health tips with stimulants users:

1. Brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least nightly
2. Drink water
3. Use a dry-mouth oral rinse or toothpaste such as biotene while using stims
4. Lower your consumption of sugary foods (sodas, candy, etc.) - diet sodas are better for your teeth
5. Visit your dentist every 6 months
6. Keep your stim dosage low and occasional

Your doctors and dentists can be your best source of information to protect your health - bless the ones who provide non-judgmental harm-reduction advice.

Take care of yourselves - make sure your teeth last as long as you do!