Pot times July 17, 2005
The Dental Nightmare Of Methamphetamine
URL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v05/n1129/a04.htmlNewshawk: Herb
Pubdate: Sat, 16 Jul 2005 THE DENTAL NIGHTMARE OF METHAMPHETAMINE
Source: Daily Citizen, The (AR)
Copyright: 2005 The Daily Citizen
Contact:
publisher@thedailycitizen.com
Website: http://www.thedailycitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2046
Author: Pat Hambrick
Glenda has had to have four teeth pulled over the six months that she has been
in the White County Detention Center, and she lost several others prior to her
incarceration. She said her teeth are brittle, "like chicken
bones," and several have broken off while she was eating.
Glenda, who asked that her last name would not be disclosed, suffers from
"meth mouth," a dental problem caused by long-term use of
methamphetamine. Running rampant in American jails, "meth mouth"
carries a hidden cost not only to the users of meth but also to the taxpayers,
who often have to pay for the dental care of inmates.
"I see it every time I look in the mirror," Glenda said.
She opened her mouth, revealing that most of her molars are missing. The
missing teeth have caused the others to shift, leaving gaps between her few
remaining teeth, which glisten in varying shades of brown. Her front teeth
have turned black at the gum line and will no doubt soon have to be pulled.
"I've got a mouthful of dental problems. I know it's because of
meth," Glenda said. Tears flooded her eyes and ran down her cheeks
several times Tuesday as she talked about the damage methamphetamine use has
caused her teeth and her life.
"You can sure tell when they use meth," Dr. J.D.
Patterson, a Searcy dentist who takes care of dental problems for inmates of the
White County Detention Center, said.
Patterson said the acid used to manufacture meth destroys the enamel on the
teeth, eating through it and turning the dentine black.
John W. Shaner, an associate professor at the Creighton University Medical
Center in Omaha, recently told the New York Times that a dry mouth -- a side
effect of methamphetamine use -- is another factor in "meth mouth."
The benevolent bacteria that protect the teeth cannot survive without saliva.
Meth users often compound their dental problems by drinking sugar-laden drinks
or chewing gum to combat a dry mouth.
Both Patterson and Sergeant Denise Whaley, coordinator of medical services for
the White County Sheriff's Department, said the number of inmates with dental
problems are on the rise.
"I used to get one or two inmates a week [requesting emergency dental
care]. Now it's six or seven a week," Whaley said. She
estimated that the overall number of requests had risen from 50 to 150 annually.
Patterson said, "I've seen a lot more inmates the last three or four years
than I did before." About 15 to 20 percent of all the inmates he treats are
suffering from "meth mouth," he said.
"I can tell you that probably 75 percent of the inmates are here because of
meth use," Whaley said.
Whaley said that White County officials try to avoid making the taxpayers
shoulder the burden of medical and dental care for inmates. When people
are checked into the jail, a jailer places any cash in the detainee's possession
into an envelope and stores it in a safe.
A clerk records the cash amount, and charges medical and dental expenses to the
inmates' account, Whaley said.
"We are required to give emergency care on teeth, but not just to fix
routine problems," Whaley said. However, if the family makes
arrangements and deposits a sufficient amount of money into an inmate's account,
non-emergency dental work can be arranged.
Patterson said some of the inmates' teeth might be saved by putting crowns on
the teeth. "But when you are looking at crowns for six or eight
teeth, that's very expensive," he said. Most inmates simply have to
have the painful teeth pulled.
Whaley explained that meth users often don't notice the painful teeth while they
are under the influence of the drug. "They get in here and off dope,
and their teeth hurt."
She said many couldn't afford medical or dental care because of their expensive
drug habit.
"They have to pay cash when they go to the doctor or dentist." A lot
of them aren't paying cash for their drugs, Whaley said. They are writing
hot checks or stealing. "The dealer may take a stolen VCR for drugs,
but the dentist won't," she said.
Glenda said she used methamphetamine for a short time when she was as a
teenager, and then she was "clean" for 17 years. She used meth
again for five years before being sentenced to one year in jail.
"The tooth problems start right away. You just don't see them until
later," Glenda said. "Once the damage is done, you can't take it
away."
Glenda said what she regrets most are the hardships she has caused her family.
Her two children are currently living with her parents. "My parents
are retired. They don't deserve this," she said.
She said she got back on meth "because of stupidity, mainly. I was
weak. I was tired of being alone, raising my kids alone. There was a
man... It was that or not have him. I thought I wanted him. It
was the biggest nightmare of my life."
In spite of everything, Glenda said she is lucky, as many of the girls in jail
with her have lost everything: their families and their home.
"I still have my family. If I hadn't worked so hard the years I
worked, I wouldn't have my home."
Glenda said when she first started using meth five years ago, she spent about
$50 a week on the drug. By the time she went to jail, her habit was
costing her $300-500 a week. She said she never let her kids know that she
was using meth, so it came as a big surprise to her teenaged son. She said
he has forgiven her now.
Her mother recently brought her photos of her children. "They are so
beautiful. Their teeth were so white and even that I cried," Glenda
said.
She said she agreed to speak out publicly to help others avoid drugs.
"If I can get the word out and keep just one kid from getting on it, it's
worth it," Glenda said.
Glenda understands that a meth addiction imperils more than just her teeth.
Dr. Jerry Jones of Arkansas Children's Hospital recently told the
Associated Press that children who live in meth users' homes frequently suffer
abuse because meth users can become prone to violence. Jones observed that
children who were exposed to meth fumes often exhibited burns to their mouths
and throats, as well as trauma to their lungs.
Glenda said when she gets out of jail, she hopes to avoid getting involved in
drugs again. "I'm going to keep Jesus in my heart, and I'm going to
spend all my time with my kids and go to church with my kids," she said.
"I don't want to be like some of these girls and lose my kids."
"When I get out, I just want to live a normal life," Glenda said.
Whaley said, "Most of the people in here are not bad people. They
just got into something they didn't know how to get out of."
