Oral Manifestations of Drug Abuse: A Review of Literature

Abstract

The use of psychoactive substances is an ancient fact in human history that has become a public health problem. Recognizing the severity of oral problems related to drug abuse and in view of the importance of the contribution of Dentistry in this theme, it became pertinent to perform a literature review on oral manifestations resulting from drug use. A literature review of articles published between 1991 and 2019 was performed, mainly through MEDLINE and LILACS, using as descriptors "oral manifestations': "drugs of abuse'," "oral disorders': We selected 41 articles related to the theme. There was a high prevalence of oral lesions among drug users in relation to the general population. Among the most frequent oral manifestations are caries, periodontitis, xerostomia, leukoplakia. The abuse of drugs can cause the most diverse damages to the oral health. Dental surgeons, when aware of the oral manifestation / drug abuse relationship, can play an active role in identifying and treating drug addicts.