Today is International Day against Drug abuse and Illicit Trafficking.

‪Drug‬ ‪abuse‬ effects cardiac crisis, respiratory depression, liver cirrhosis, nephropathy, infectious diseases such as ‪‎hepatitis‬, ‪AIDS‬, and‪ tuberculosis‬, injury - associated disability, mental disorders - ‪‎depression‬ and also oral health problems - dental ‪caries‬, ‪periodontal‬ diseases,‪‎mucosal‬ ‪‎dysplasia‬, ‪‎xerostomia‬, ‪bruxism‬, tooth wear, and tooth loss.

These drug categories include opiates, ‪cannabis‬, ‪hallucinogens‬,‪ cocaine‬ - and ‪‎amphetamine-type stimulants and club drugs. Oral health complications associated with #drug abuse may result from direct exposure of oral tissues to drugs during ‪smoking‬ or ‪ingestion‬, biologic interaction of drugs with normal physiology of oral cavity, and effects of drugs on brain function which result in a spectrum of addictive behaviours such as risk-taking behaviour, poor hygiene, ‪aggression‬, and‪ carelessness‬.

To empower dentists by providing ‪oral‬ ‪health‬ education and prevention material brochure/booklets/ videos/stories/real-life stories of survivors for addicts and their families.

  • ‪Dental‬ services should be established in ‪addiction‬ ‪rehabilitation‬ centers to improve access to dental treatment. 
  • Diagnosis and management of oral problems in addicts
  • Management of systemic disorders related to addiction during dental treatments
  • Behavioural and psychological management of addicts during dental treatments
  • Encouraging dentists’ positive attitude toward addicts
  • Cross-infection control of blood-borne diseases