Meth mouth refers to the state of a meth user’s mouth, the psychostimulant and sympathomimetic drug considered by many to be the most addictive and dangerous drug in existence, worse than crack-cocaine. Although most users of the drug are not concerned about their oral health, it is important for parents and caregivers to understand how meth can harm the oral cavity, and pass the information along to their children and young adults.
The mouth of a meth user.
The relatively inexpensive cost to produce meth and its highly addictive nature make the drug highly popular with young people of all demographics, income levels and races. Methamphetamine enters the brain and triggers a cascading release of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine inducing intense euphoria, with high risks for addiction. The drug causes damage to the central nervous system often causing jitters, nausea, increased risk for heart attack and heart disease, as well as widespread tooth decay.
Many meth users complain about stained or blackening of the teeth in early stages of addiction, with teeth often becoming rotted after periods of neglect, leading to necessary extraction (if the addict has access to dental care). The widespread tooth decay caused by meth is mainly attributed to the highly acidic content of the drug – ingredients like bleach, cough syrup and chlorine are common additives to home-made meth. The very-long-lasting effects of the drug can often leave users unaware of the state of their oral health. Because meth causes users to crave salty, sweet and carbohydrate-rich foods, the bacterial factor of meth mouth is only further hazardous.
The statistics of meth use in America leave the drug’s risk to all children undeniable: over 5% of Americans age 12 and older have used the drug (12.3 million Americans in 2003 according to the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health), and of those users the majority have had severe oral health problems. “Say no to drugs” – talk to your kids about the dangers and consequences of drug abuses. If you feel there is need for professional to get involved, get the appropriate help you need to make sure your loved ones stay healthy and enjoy a high quality of life.
Counterfeit Toothbrushes? You’ve heard of counterfeit DVDs and handbags, but toothbrushes? Believe it or not, brand name toothbrushes are a hot commodity, and some unethical business people are trying to bank on naive consumers. So be careful what you buy and what you use for your dental health.
Watch out for counterfeit brushes!
In February, grocery stores and pharmacies across Ottawa were surprised to find their suppliers had been conned into buying massive shipments of fake Colgate toothbrushes, and they were supplied to the stores to be bought by general public . The brushes that were affected include the Colgate Massager, Colgate Navigator, Oral B Classic 40, Oral B Contura and Colgate 360. These toothbrushes were not made by Colgate! Canadian health officials have released the following statement: “If an imitation is suspected, consumers should stop using them immediately, as the quality, safety and effectiveness of counterfeit products cannot be assured.”
It is true that most of the burden to check for false brushes is on the back of the retailer, but it is still important to be vigilant about your toothbrush – only buy from reputable dealers (like big chain grocery stores) and if your brush looks suspicious – jagged packaging, poorly printed logos or something similar, take it back to the store from whence it came. A counterfeit toothbrush is not made to the same quality control standards as true brand-name brushes: counterfeit brushes (which usually originate in China) have been known to have bristles which fall out quickly, leading to throat irritation and, in a more extreme case, a possible choking hazard for young mouths. A toothbrush’s quality can be measured by specific features such as a well designed handle and thorough rows of columns of properly spaced tufts of end-rounded bristles.
Genuine Colgate toothbrushes will have instructions and labeling printed in English and French only, and should say “Distr. by/par: Colgate-Palmolive Canada Inc” on the packaging. In addition, the Colgate logo should be embossed into the toothbrush handle itself, just under the brush head. These counterfeit brushes have not been detected in the United States as of yet, but due to the globalization of most large corporate supply chains (including those of Proctor & Gamble, the parent company of Colgate), these brushes could easily find their way into American grocery stores and convenience shops. Be vigilant about your toothbrush purchases to ensure you are using a high quality brush – you can only clean your mouth properly with the proper tools, and a genuine toothbrush is an important one!
We all clean our teeth with tooth brushes, but how do you clean the tooth brush that cleans your teeth?
Keep your tooth brush clean!
Tooth brushes get used cleaning your teeth at least two time daily, and we should all be using toothpaste and water with our brushing. Afterward, we rinse our mouth out and clean our toothbrush under running tap water, shaking off any excess water and then keep the toothbrush upright, allowing it to air dry until next time. Such a cleaning routine is usually adequate for a healthy person. It is good to know however that any toothbrush can harbor millions of bacteria at any given time. The oral cavity itself harbors hundreds of different kinds of microbes and bacterial organisms, which inevitably become transferred onto the toothbrush as you clean your teeth. Most bathrooms also harbor lots of bacteria, which can transfer to your brush if the brush head is contacting any not-so-clean surfaces or another toothbrush. Should you be concerned with sanitizing your tooth brush?
Thankfully, our immune defense mechanism protects against offending microbes, and most bacteria on your tooth brush will pose no health risk to you. Don’t be germ phobic, but it is always good to have few more pointers under your belt regarding how you can keep a cleaner toothbrush. Do not share a toothbrush! Wash your toothbrush before and after each use. It is important to clear all bristles of any remaining toothpaste or food debris to prevent excess bacteria from forming. If you are sick, it’s a good idea to soak your toothbrush in a 3% (standard over-the-counter) solution of hydrogen peroxide for 5-10 minutes to sterilize your cleaning tool. Also, it’s a good idea to have several toothbrushes at your disposal, dried and cleaned and ready to go – rotating toothbrushes can increase their longevity. When storing your toothbrush, make sure to have adequate ventilation to prevent molding or bacteria from forming.
My last tip is to take a good look at your your brush: if the ends of bristles bend , get a new one! Normally, the life span of a is 3 to 4 months; if you have an electric toothbrush check the shape of the bristles (it might be time to replace the brush heads). It’s always easier to stock up a few brushes to assure you’ll always have a good toothbrush available to keep your oral hygiene up to snuff. A clean mouth makes you feel refreshed and keeps your body healthy!
The toothbrush is, of course, an essential tool for keeping your teeth clean and plaque-free, but there are many types of toothbrushes available for use. The structure of your mouth is very intricate, including soft gum tissue, hard enamel, various crevices and spaces where food can hide, etc – and every person’s mouth is different, and responds differently to various types of brushes. How do you pick the right toothbrush for you?
If you get perfect dental check-up scores, do not have any type of gum sensitivity issues nor any other dental problems, you can probably keep your present hygiene routine. An over-the-counter toothbrush will normally suffice for people with normal gums and teeth if you are using it properly. If you have a history of dental and gum issues, special care is needed. You may need more than one toothbrush (different sizes and shapes of brush heads and tips) to adequately clean between your teeth and restorative material, such as a specialty brush shaped to accommodate dental restorations.
What about electric toothbrushes? There are many toothbrushes on the market, available both over-the-counter and from your dentist, which advertise a much deeper cleaning than what a manual toothbrush can provide. Keep in mind that an inexpensive battery-operated toothbrush often lacks the torque (twisting power) needed to adequately clean your teeth, remove plaque and remove biofilm; If you have children who refuse to brush their teeth, an electric toothbrush might be a fun way to encourage proper oral hygiene!
The more advanced electric toothbrushes, with proper technique, can clean your teeth more effectively than manual brushes. Manual brushing often does not do a good enough job at removing plaque than electric toothbrushes from your dentist (prescription electric toothbrushes like Rotadent, what I recommend to my patients has micro-filaments bristles with different tips). These brushes allow more advanced brushing techniques with different brush head attachments to accommodate different parts of the mouth, and have the necessary torque to properly clean your oral environment. If you have any of the following conditions, you should equip yourself with a better toothbrush for better oral health: orthodontic braces, gum problems, dental implants, dental bridges, arthritis, etc…
No matter what type of toothbrush you have, remember that it is necessary to spend two minutes brush at least twice a day, and after meals. The food caught between your teeth can start producing harmful bacteria only 5 minutes after eating (which is why you should bring a toothbrush to school or work every day)! Because every mouth is different, and certain tooth angles (and dental work) require special brushing or special brushes, consult with your dental professional. Besides brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, rinsing, and irrigation are all important steps to get your mouth’s environment as squeaky clean as it can be. It is a lot of work to keep yourself in top condition, but it will become second nature. You deserve paying your mouth so much attention – for your own health!
Flossing your teeth is one of the most basic forms of oral hygiene, something that every person (except denture-wearers and babies) should do twice a day. But why is flossing so important?
Dental floss is a nylon fiber filament commonly used to clean the spaces in between a person’s teeth, and in between a person’s tooth and gum. The floss is moved in between a person’s teeth with a moderate amount of pressure, scraping along each side of each tooth for a few seconds. This action, when floss is pressed down as far as it can go between the gum and the tooth, removes both food particles and bacterial plaque under the gum line. Floss should be C-shaped, wrapping around three sides of a tooth following the contours of the tooth when being moved up and down, which can also clean the front and back segments of the tooth.
Improper flossing (or occasional irregular flossing) can lead to bleeding of the gums. This is not bad as long as you are not cutting into and injuring the gum! When your gums bleed, it is a sign of inflammation and possibly the beginning of gingivitis. It is important to continue flossing when blood appears, it will dissipate and eventually stop occurring as daily flossing becomes regular practice. If you do experience excessive or prolonged bleeding, rinsing with diluted hydrogen peroxide solution (the brown bottled over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide is 3%, you need to add at least an equal amount of water to dilute the solution to 1-1.5% for rinsing) will control the bleeding and at the same time reduce the amount of anaerobic bacteria in the mouth.
Although overly vigorous flossing can create gum tissue damage, regular daily flossing is essential for proper oral hygiene maintenance, and should become as natural as brushing in your daily routine. When combined with regular brushing, proper oral hygiene can and will prevent numerous potential hygiene-related problems such as gum disease, halitosis (bad breath), and dental caries (tooth decay).
Please consult with your dental professional for your personalized home care program. If you have braces or fixed dental bridge work, regular flossing might be challenging. A flosser or threader might be needed to aide in flossing. Hydrofloss (an irrigator device) might also be helpful. If you have advanced gum problems and need an additional home care program to follow, antioxidant supplements and interproximal brushes will help to maintain your dental health.
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, and pass the information along to their children and young adults.
