edtalkradio » Page 36 of 38

Methamphetamine takes a unique and horrific toll
inside its users' mouths. In short stretches of time, sometimes just
months, a perfectly healthy set of teeth can turn grayish-brown, twist
and begin to fall out, and take on a texture less like that of hard
enamel and more like a piece of ripened fruit.

The condition, known to some as "meth mouth," has been studied
little in academic circles and is unknown to many urban and
suburban dentists, whose patients increasingly are focused on
cosmetic issues, the bleaching and perfect veneers of television's
makeover shows. But other dentists, especially those in the open,
empty swaths of land where methamphetamine is being
manufactured in homemade laboratories, say they are seeing a
growing number of such cases.

"The truth is, very little is known yet," said Dr. Stephen Wagner, who
specializes in dentures and implants in his private practice and who
will be studying 20 afflicted patients in the coming months at the
University of New Mexico. "What I can tell you is what I have seen: It
looks like someone has taken a hammer to these teeth and
shattered them."

"Meth Mites" as this phenomenon is known, is caused by the high toxicity (poison levels) in methamphetamines.M eth addicts are capable of easily overdosing so much that the poisons start leaking out of the pores, and users literally think they have insects underneath their skin, so they start itching.The phenomenon occurs when the body can’t digest the hazardous additives in meth. It instead forces them out through the pores, causing sores, acne and chronic scratching. Below are some prime examples of what is being described.