Pharmacology Literature Review
Pharmacology Literature Review
Pharmacology Literature Review
Alexis Epperson
Introduction
According to Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there is a rise
of drug use and substance abuse in the United States. In the past year, 39% of Americans
between the ages of 18 and 25 years were reported either using, misusing, or abusing drugs
(Staff, 2022). Drug use can impact an individual’s overall health and cause adverse effects on the
health of the individuals teeth and gums (Dental Health, 2022). The CDC (Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention) states that oral health is essential to general health and well-being (Oral
Health Fast Facts, 2021). This paper examines oral health status among drug users when
Review of Literature
Valadas (2020) conducted a literature review to highlight the most common oral lesions
present on drug addicts to alert dental professionals to also act as facilitators towards better
overall health by referring the patient to other medical providers in addition to providing proper
dental treatment. When compared to the general population, drug user’s presented with more oral
lesions and less knowledge regarding the relationship between drug use and oral health. The data
was collected from 41 articles that were published from the years 1991 and 2019. The review
found that the most common oral conditions present in drug users included caries, periodontitis,
xerostomia, and leukoplakia. The authors concluded that initial recognition from the dental team
can lead to better overall treatment of drug addicts through referrals to other health resources for
Sharma (2018) conducted a study on drug addicts to determine if there was a relationship
between oral health status and the route of which drugs where administered into the body. The
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data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and a clinical examination. The
questionnaire focused on the drug addicts oral hygiene practices and their drug addiction history:
the clinical examination was used to evaluate the current status of their oral health. The study
found that cocaine addicts presented with red and inflamed gingiva that was covered in a
removable white slough. Gingival trauma was found on patients who brushed during their high
state due to added force. Those who injected drugs were found to have limited motor activity
abilities and thus proper hygiene routines were unable to be achieved. Additionally, those who
abused opiates and amphetamines had higher prevalence of xerostomia induced caries. The
authors concluded that more studies need to be conducted that focus on the relationship between
oral health status and mode of administration. The general consensus is that periodontitis and
caries are more prevalent in drug addicts than the general population and that more effective
public health programs need to be established for this particular population (Sharma et al., 2018).
Sing et al. (2016) studied drug addicts who were recently admitted into a rehabilitation
center to determine their attitude towards oral health. The participants underwent a physical
examination to determine their oral health status and an interview about their drug use history
and oral hygiene history. The study found only 4% of the participants had reported visiting the
dentist in the past six months and 59% had not gone to the dentist in over a year. The data
indicated that carious lesions were present in all participants, less than 20% did not regularly
brush, 92% never used floss, 39% had fractured teeth, and 77% had periodontal pockets. The
authors concluded that those who are recovering from drug addiction have a special need for
dental care. Implementing oral health promotion programs will improve an addicts oral health,
but also will serve as a foundation that helps them create a new identity (Singh et al., 2016).
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Discussion
The results of the present study supports the claim that those who use, abuse, or misuse
drugs have a worse oral health status than the general population. The results strongly imply that
this is true due to the lack of knowledge that the drug users have about the connection between
general health and dental health. Furthermore, drug users are unaware about the link between
drug use and oral health. These findings may be explained by the concept that drugs have both
direct effects, such as clenching or grinding, and indirect effects such as lifestyle changes and
poor nutrition.
While previous research has focused on oral health conditions of drug users, this research
compared oral health conditions among drug users who did not partake in any dental hygiene and
those who maintained a level of oral hygiene: the results being that those who did maintain a
level of dental hygiene presented with better oral health (Sharma et al., 2016). Therefore, this
evidence can support the idea that drug users should have the same access, if not special public
health programs, as the general population to receive proper dental care and education.
Promoting dental hygiene to drug users can theoretically lessen the severity of their oral hygiene
conditions. Even the users are unwilling or not wanting to receive help for their addiction then at
least the research signifies that properly educating the importance of maintaining a basic level of
All three articles have supporting research that emphasis about specific oral conditions
associated with specific drugs. These consistent results found throughout several studies
indicates that dental professionals have the unique opportunity to potentially be the first medical
provider to recognize drug use, misuse, or abuse within an individual. Therefore, it is critical that
dental professionals have the ability to not only recognize and treat the oral lesions but give
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referrals to help the individual build the support team needed to recover from their addiction.
To further research the conclusions drawn from drug abuse and the relationship to poor
oral health, it would be useful to explore the idea of conducting a study that focused directly on
improving the dental hygiene habits of addicts over a set time period to provide a consistent
evaluation on the addicts oral health status. Although the present results clearly support the idea
that their oral hygiene status would improve, a proper study would be needed to confirm the
Conclusion
Many health problems are associated with abusing drugs; however, the oral health
damages caused by abuse are often overlooked or not treated due to a lack of concern or
knowledge. Drug addicts need education during their addiction to have a superior chance at
reducing the severity of their conditions. In conclusion, there is a need to reform public health
policies to mandate oral health programs to enable addicts to receive the care they need during
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, January 25). Oral Health Fast Facts. Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved November 17, 2022, from
https://www.cdc.gov/oralhealth/fast-facts/index.html
Dentalhealthorg. (2022). Drugs, alcohol and your oral health. Oral Health Foundation Better Oral
https://www.dentalhealth.org/drugs-alcohol-and-your-oral-health
Singh, R., Chandra, S., Sahu, S. K., Pandey, V., & Kaur, G. (2016). Evaluation of oral health
https://www.iaimjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/iaim_2016_0303_10.pdf
Sharma, A., Singh, S., Mathur, A., Aggarwal, V. P., Gupta, N., Makkar, D. K., Batra, M., &
Gijwani, D. (2018). Route of drug abuse and its impact on oral health-related quality of
https://doi.org/10.22122/ahj.v10i3.567
Staff, C. (2022). Drug use statistics and Demographics. Caron Treatment Centers. Retrieved
demographics#:~:text=53%20million%20or%2019.4%25%20of,drugs%20in%20the%20l
ast%20year
Valadas, L. A. R., Lima Fernandes, M., Silva, M. I. G., do Carmo de Oliveira Citó, M., Maia
Oliveira, I. C., Leite Dias, M., de Mello Fiallos, A. C., Freire Vasconcelos, L., Ximenes
dos Santos, L. K., Rodrigues de Carvalho, A. M., Oliveira Chagas, F., & Florenço de
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https://doi.org/10.5530/jyp.2020.12.3