What is Meth Mouth?

Meth mouth is a condition caused by extreme or prolonged dry mouth, a side effect of using of the illegal substance crystal methamphetamine. Crystal methamphetamine is also called meth, glass, speed, and the smoke-able form of it is called "ice" because of its look. Meth can be snorted, eaten, smoked, and injected. An Oregon police officer decided to do a program called the "Faces of Meth" because he saw the incredible physical transformation of people who were arrested and tested positive for crystal meth. It sucks the life right out of you.

Meth mouth is a deterioration of a user's teeth and gums. There are ways to prevent meth mouth once it is mainly caused by prolonged dry mouth. The teeth can become blackened, stained, and/or start to rot and crumble from methamphetamine use. There is no time frame that this happens in and it is not only chronic users who experience it. Dentists suspect meth mouth is caused by a combination of factors. The first of these meth mouth risk factors is chronic dry mouth. Saliva is a protector of teeth and gums, so when it is consistently gone the teeth will start to break down. As well, persons who are using crystal meth might not take great care of their hygiene although this is very much a generalization. You cannot assume that someone with poor hygiene and teeth is using methamphetamine or any other drug. Thinking that you know everything about a person based on their looks is only ignorance. The lack of concern or plain forgetfulness a crystal meth user experiences will contribute to the problem. Crystal users tend to have trouble with linear time. Another factor is that people who use meth will reduce or stop eating. When they are coming down they crash, which consists of sleeping, eating and withdrawal symptoms. Depending on how far down the line the addict or drug abuser has gotten, he or she may not eat very well or have much food.

Is crystal meth the only drug that causes meth mouth?

Crystal meth is not the only drug that causes this problem. Prescription drugs like Adderall can cause the same symptoms, but meth is the biggest culprit. Drugs that are categorized as stimulants tend to cause increased body temperature, raise blood pressure and cause severe dry mouth. It is the dry mouth that can lead to more bacteria and tooth decay. Saliva protects the teeth, gums, and mouth. Meth users also tend to grind their teeth a lot. This constant grinding breaks the teeth down, along with enamel, and causes pain in the jaw. Users also are in a state of constant dehydration and will drink whatever is available, oftentimes this can be soda, Koolaid, beer, and other not so healthy drinks, which can be full of sugar. Addicts are usually intertwined with sugar somehow. Even after quitting meth there can still be dental problems to tackle.

Although meth mouth can be a sign of crystal meth use, it is by no means the only identifier. As well, not every crystal meth user will have it, as this is a stereotype perpetuated by the media. Just like anything else there is a spectrum that meth mouth falls into, so some people can experience increased dental cavities all the way to black nubs of nerve exposed teeth that are falling out. If you are using crystal meth or something else like Ritalin, Adderall, other uppers/stimulants then you should try to take as many steps as possible to protect your teeth. Ritalin, Adderall, Cylert, Dexedrine, and other stimulants also cause the meth mouth phenomenon and can make your teeth crumble and cause other dental weaknesses. If you can take steps to stop grinding teeth that will help. Harm reduction is always the first action.

Do not make fun of the person who has this condition. Run your tongue along your own teeth and think about how important they are to your overall well-being, self-esteem, and imagine. What if you had a disease that robbed you of a once beautiful smile?

What is Crystal Methamphetamine

What Is Crystal Meth?

Crystal methamphetamine is one of the most dangerous drugs to ever hit. Although crystal methamphetamine has been around for a long time, it is in the news frequently. Crystal methamphetamine has many other names, some of which are dependent upon the community that uses it. Some of the slang terms for crystal methamphetamine are crystal, crystal meth, meth, g, glass, shards, Tina, sh*t, ice, shabu, and others. In its most pure form, crystal meth looks sort of like rock salt or pieces of ice, hence the name.

Ice is considered the most pure form of crystal methamphetamine and is typically smoked. It can be inhaled and injected as well. This is the form that has been ravaging men, women, young and old, all around the country and some parts of the world. Although there is a self-imposed hierarchy of denial among users of crystal methamphetamine, it does not matter a whole lot what route of administration you use. If you "only smoke it" that does not make you better than someone who slams it, just like someone snorting it is not any less addicted than someone smoking it. Crystal meth users tend to heavily rationalize their use and the consequences. The crystal meth denial is different than other drugs.

Why Is Crystal Methamphetamine So Addictive?
One thing that is both understood and denied is the incredible addictiveness of crystal methamphetamine. What make crystal methamphetamine so addictive is what it does to the brain. When a person sees someone they like, eats chocolate, laughs, has sex, and does other things that they enjoy, the brain releases a chemical called dopamine. When a person uses crystal methamphetamine the brain releases dopamine in levels that the body can never naturally reach. The use of the substance overwhelms the brain with this and other chemicals. Part of the problem, which is appealing to users, is that crystal lasts for several hours. Because of this, it makes it very hard to appeal to the user, and it makes it addicting in a short amount of time. What goes up must come down, and when someone who has been using comes down there is a chaotic mess happening in their brain. Depending on how long the person has been using, they may not produce their own dopamine, so acquiring the meth is very important just to return to a normal feeling. Studies are being done on the relationship between meth and memory. It has shown that meth's effect on memory is profound, and this causes harder cravings and other thoughts of using because the meth makes it hard to forget.

The way people ingest drugs increases consequences. An IV user might spiral down faster than someone else. But, this does not mean any routes are safe. Crystal meth is dangerous, not the pipe. Many people try vigorously to control their use by controlling the ways they ingest crystal meth. There is a false thought that if you "do not do it _____ way" then you are or will be okay. This is the illusion of crystal methamphetamine and other addictions. If you find yourself saying those things then you should probably look at whether or not you are having any consequences, at all, from using crystal methamphetamine. It is possible to stop using meth and stay clean though.

What Is Meth Mouth?
Meth mouth, the deterioration of teeth and gums, is a side effect scare tactic shown by many to curb or repel those who have not yet done crystal methamphetamine. It has to be for them because those who are already using meth know that their bodies are being ravaged by a poison. Unfortunately, all of the attention on meth mouth has turned some into targets. A large causal factor of meth mouth is chronic dry mouth and grinding your teeth. Having a dry mouth is very bad for your teeth. Other substances cause dry mouth and this "meth mouth" syndrome. These are Ritalin, Adderall, Cylert, Dexedrine, Oxy, Lithium, and other medications that suck the moisture out of you.

It is possible to prevent meth mouth. Learning to stop grinding teeth and keep hydrated will help a lot. Of course, stopping the use of crystal meth and others like it will help much more. One important thing to note is that not everyone who uses crystal methamphetamine will have this condition. As well, not everyone who has this condition is using or has used crystal meth. So, be cautious of your judgments.

Crystal Methamphetamine and Sexuality

Crystal meth increases impulsiveness, an understatement. While doing that it heightens a person's desire for sexual behaviors. Some people engage in physical activity. Some people become obsessed with pornography. Some cheat on their partners or spouses. Some turn to prostitution. For a lot of users, there is some compulsive sexual behavior that is acted out on meth. Because of this the rates of unwanted pregnancy, abortions, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV, and other problems are occuring. These create shame and make users indulge more to find comfort. It is important to use plenty of lube and condoms to prevent disease, for anyone.

Often people think sex is better on meth. This creates a huge problem when they stop because they believe they wont ever enjoy it again. For some people, this one takes time to get used to clean, but it's more of a distorted thought than an ultimate truth. Meth and sex is the ugly side that people usually don't want to talk about. Shame should not keep you quiet though and it will not help a person heal from what crystal meth does to you.

Crystal methamphetamine is a devastating problem for men who sleep with men (MSM), whether they are gay or bisexual. Because of the super increased sex drive it wrecked havoc on a community that had finally had safe sex and disease fairly well contained. Crystal has driven a wedge between people within a community, some of which do not yet want to see or acknowledge that it is a problem, and not just their brothers have it. Crystal meth is taking a toll on lesbian, queer, and otherwise not straight women. Because men tend to get sutured first, gay or straight, they have a lot of crystal meth support groups, many of them based on the concept of peer support. Support groups for women and crystal are finally popping up.

Crystal and other drugs are used as party drugs. There are sometimes anonymous party and play encounters that happen. This is not to say that using crystal meth, partying, and having sex are exclusive to the gay or bisexual community. Not at all. It should be noted that the highest rising group of HIV infection is in women.

Crystal Methamphetamine Depression and Recovery

Recovery from crystal methamphetamine is possible. If you want treatment, find it, and get into recovery. There are Crystal Meth Anonymous meetings in many cities or other online support groups you can utilize. Stopping meth is not an easy task. The trick that meth pulls on some is a prolonged depression. Depending on how long crystal was used, and other factors, it will be harder for some to quit. It's hard to feel your body not making the right chemicals it needs to be happy. Sometimes when users crash or stop they can have difficulty talking, walking, and using basic motor functions. But, all of this is very dependent on the amount being used and other factors. It is a personal fight. It is not easy to stop, but it is possible and people are doing it. Being prepared to feel bad for awhile, until your brain starts working by itself again, can prepare you. Not everyone has a hard time. Some doctors are starting to use medications to stimulate the brain, such as Wellbutrin. Making your situation better than it is right now is a good goal. It is the staying stopped that is the hard part, for any substance addiction problem.

How to Recognize Denial of Crystal Meth Addiction

Crystal methamphetamine is a powerful stimulant that is very addictive and does not care about you. An illegal drug, it is also known as ice, crystal methamphetamine, tweak, crystal, meth, g, glass, shards, Tina, and other street names. It does not care about the color of your skin or your socioeconomic status, who you are attracted to, whether you're young or old, if you had a nice childhood, your gender, or anything else about you. As with and other substances it does not see a person and only serves to impact brain chemicals. The important thing to remember is that addiction is a brain disease. Addicts have many justifications to keep using. Many times these rationalizations only make sense to the addict. Recognizing the points of denial can help you start to confront the addiction whether it's your own or someone you know.
They sound illogical. This is likely addiction fueled and not necessarily about overt lying. Listen for contradictions. One of the most common statements made by addicts in denial who are still trying to prove their control is a simple statement, "I don't let it control me."

Pay attention to comparison statements.

Crystal meth users have some specific denial around their drug use making their comparison statements slightly unique. Drug abusers/addicts use these as a way to minimize their use. Paranoia is a severe problem with methamphetamine users. People who use crystal tend to compare their paranoia against other people who use. You'll often hear a person say that he or she does not hallucinate or see "tree people".

Within the crystal meth community there is a strong stigma surrounding route of administration of the drug. This creates a way to deny severity of addiction. Crystal users try to defend their addiction by believing the way they use the drug makes them less "bad" or addicted. It's common to hear minimization like "at least I don't shoot it," "only" smoking it or "just" snorting, but it only makes a difference in their mind. Any time an addict can compare the way he or she is using against someone who might be seen as worse it calms the inner turmoil. Crystal methamphetamine is an addictive drug regardless of the way it is used. 

Observe Behavior

If you don't know whether or not someone is using gather evidence to crack their denial. This doesn't mean go on a drug search, but tracking a person's behavior. Meth addicts can often exhibit strange behavior because of the drug's affect on the brain. Crystal effects sleeping and eating patterns. They may appear fidgety, grinding teeth. Sometimes people forget their personal grooming habits. Some people are unable to eat depending where the person is in their cycle of use. A common tweaker denial phrase is, "I sleep every night." Paying attention to behavior is important to picking up on cues. The addict may not even realize that he or she is lying which is why presenting evidence that contradicts their words and behavior can serve as proof that there is at least a drug problem present. Whether or not an actual addiction exists can only be diagnosed by a certified counselor or doctor.
Example of erratic behavior by a mother: Leaving in the middle of the night to drive across the state without saying goodbye to her family, staying up for three or four days in a row, inability to not drink alcohol for a night or important event even when specifically asked by a family member.

Pay attention to specific denial, comparison, and inconsistent statements. Try keeping a journal if you are trying to find out whether someone is using denying crystal meth. Many conversations will be met with denial and anger however when the addict is faced with evidence instead of emotion (being yelled at, etc.) then it's harder to deny.

If the addict/abuser is you then think about what you do to get high. This is one way you can come to the recognition of your denial about your crystal meth use. If you don't believe that tweak is a problem for you but you use and have found some of the other statements familiar then think about whether you've done anything while using ice that you thought you'd never do and/or if you've crossed your boundaries, morals, ethics, and beliefs to get dope, stay high, or because you end up in a crazy environment because of your connections. Take a look at the people you associate with while you're high. This is not about passing judgment but to determine whether or not you're around trustworthy people and being one yourself. For some, meth leads to crime. If you're around people that are committing robbery, breaking into cars, stealing mail, or cooking dope then there is a level of desperation to maintain an addiction -- you do what is necessary to stay high. If you don't have a bag of dope would the friends stay? Sometimes it's really hard to look at this honestly because addicts and drug users rely heavily on each other to maintain their habits.  Separating friendship and drug partner is hard. 

Addiction takes an emotional toll on everyone involved. Addicts are filled with guilt even though they act self-centered. People who are not guilty don't make up these insane justifications for their behaviors around drug use. This usually means that some place in the person's core is an awareness that he or she is no longer in full control of the use of crystal meth regardless of the reasons the drug was tried in the first place. An innocent line can so often lead to a devastating addiction or severe drug abuse. If you wonder whether you have a problem with crystal (or alcohol/other drugs) you probably do.
Addiction is not a moral weakness. Consider rehab for crystal meth addiction. It gives the mind and body time to start healing.
Online NA meetings are helpful. This article should not substitute for medical advice and is not intended to cure, treat, or diagnose a medical condition.