Oral and dental complications caused by methamphetamine use: A Review

Background and Objectives: Methamphetamine is a stimulant drug with stimulatory effects on the central nervous system. It also negatively affects the oral and dental health. This narrative review aims to review the oral and dental complications caused by methamphetamine use. Materials and Methods: In this narrative review, an electronic search of the literature was carried out in Google Scholar, PubMed and SID databases for original articles published from 2000 to 2017 using the keywords “meth”, “mouth”, “methamphetamine”, “dental caries”, “oral health” and “dental problem”. Results: The most prevalent complications caused by methamphetamine use were xerostomia (94%), bad taste in the mouth (91%), extensive caries (89%), facial muscle stiffness (73%), dental esthetic problems (68%) and increased acidity of the saliva (68%). Temporomandibular joint problem had the lowest prevalence (13%). Conclusion: Long-term methamphetamine use causes adverse oral and dental changes. By having adequate knowledge about the prevalence and physiopathology of these complications, clinicians can promote oral and dental health and decrease treatment costs.