Methamphetamine use and dental disease: results of a pilot study

Margaret Cretzmeyer; Jerry Walker; James A Hall; Stephan Arndt

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Methamphetamine use and dental disease: results of a pilot study

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Methamphetamine use and dental disease: results of a pilot study

Margaret Cretzmeyer, Jerry Walker, James A Hall and Stephan Arndt

Journal of dentistry for children (Chicago, Ill.), Vol.74(2), pp.85-92

05/01/2007

PMID: 18477425

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a standard dental examination to detect methamphetamine use. Data were collected from 31 patients in a hospital-based inpatient chemical dependency treatment unit using cross-sectional study design. Patients who reported current methamphetamine use were compared with patients who denied methamphetamine use on data from dental examinations and an in-depth substance use assessment. Evidence of a relationship between methamphetamine use and dental disease was not detected in this sample. Both groups had a high degree of behaviors and risk factors other than substance abuse that contributed to dental disease. Based on these data, clients who used methamphetamine could not be distinguished from those who used other substances. Both groups presented significant dental disease, however, and it may be that most, if not all, patients in this hospital-based unit had significant chronic health problems including dental disease. Although adolescent use of methamphetamine is primarily restricted to older adolescents, consequences of use are severe and early identification of drug use may forestall some of the more severe consequences.

Feasibility Studies

Adolescent

Adult

Amphetamine-Related Disorders - complications

Amphetamine-Related Disorders - diagnosis

Central Nervous System Stimulants - adverse effects

Chi-Square Distribution

Cross-Sectional Studies

Dental Caries - etiology

Diagnosis, Oral

DMF Index

Female

Humans

Logistic Models

Male

Methamphetamine - adverse effects

Pilot Projects

Statistics, Nonparametric

Xerostomia - complications

Xerostomia - etiology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Methamphetamine use and dental disease: results of a pilot study
Creators: Margaret Cretzmeyer - School of Social Work, University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA. m-cretzmeyer@uiowa.edu
Jerry Walker
James A Hall
Stephan Arndt
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Journal of dentistry for children (Chicago, Ill.), Vol.74(2), pp.85-92
PMID: 18477425
ISSN: 1551-8949
eISSN: 1935-5068
Language: English
Date published: 05/01/2007
Academic Unit: Psychiatry; Biostatistics; School of Social Work; Pediatric Dentistry; Nursing; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985132190702771

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18 Times Cited - Web of Science