Meth mouth

This is an article that was posted back in September of 2006. As I was drinking my Saturday morning coffee, the article surprised me and the picture of a “meth mouth” shocked me. Be warned, if you follow this link, you will be subject to the dirtiest mouth you may have ever seen.

Users can go from having a sparkling smile to one of decay and tooth loss in about a year. For one, the drug dries out a person’s salivary glands leading to the cottony-mouth feeling. Without the diluting effects of saliva, the acids in your mouth–produced by various foods and bacteria–begin to eat away tooth enamel.

Adding fuel to this mouth decay, meth users may forget to brush their teeth. Whereas the effects of cocaine last about an hour, a meth high can linger for 12 hours. During this half-day high, personal hygiene may not be at the top of the list of things to do.