Dentists in Kentucky and states across the country know first hand how much damage meth can do to a person’s teeth. Some stories that I’ve read, tell tales of meth addicts, whose teeth have actually broken off while eating ice cream.
“His teeth crooked and blackened, Justin Baker is the face of another reason for Kentucky’s oral hygiene problems: methamphetamine use. They just rotted,” Mr. Baker, 16, said about the damage done in less than a year of drug use.”
“Even though he is turning his life around, the damage is done,” Dr. Smith said about the likelihood that Mr. Baker would soon lose all his teeth. The consequences of oral hygiene problems are far reaching, Dr. Smith said. When teeth fall out, he explained, the mouth loses some of its structural support and turns in on itself; that can lead to distorted speech and, in the absence of dentures, force a person to eat only soft foods, which can lead to poor nutrition.
Excerpted from the Poverty News Blog.
For more information about Meth Mouth and what it looks like:
Visit drugfree.org. Warning: the pictures aren’t pretty!
January 4, 2008 Gary W. Vollan, L.D. http://www.wysda.org
Is it going to take the meth epidemic for our country to recognize the need for the denturist profession as a viable health care profession and it’s ability to provide affordable denture care to recovering meth addicts and other segments of our society.
The denturist profession as a rule is a compassionate group of professionals that provide affordable denture care.
How much more difficult is an addicts recovery (self-esteem), without an oral prosthesis (denture) for replacement of extracted natural teeth due to meth chemicals and disease?
The American Dental Association and state dental associations continue to suppress the denturist profession across the nation, with the dentists monopolistic grip on dentures and their inflated pricing, leaving the edentulous, dentureless, and paying the denture lab technicians pennies, for a oral prosthesis (denture) that’s worthy of artistic recognition.
Most denturist were denture lab technicians tired of not being paid by the dentist and having to do remakes at the denture technicians expense, due to error in impressions and the bite by the dentist or their assistant.
Denturist are educated, tested, qualified and licensed professionals; providing denture care directly to the public at affordable prices; usually averaging half of what dentists charge.
Denturist are regulated and licensed in seven states and across Canada. The states are Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Colorado, Arizona and Maine.
Having affordable and functional dentures affects a person’s physical and psychological well-being. It could be the determining factor in a person’s productivity, especially those recovering from an addiction.
Please contact your legislator and let them know you need access to affordable denture care through the denturist profession.
how can I [a denture tech]help in this ordeal.I ‘m not in any of these states[va.resident]