Oral healthcare management in heroin and methadone users

Abstract

Heroin addiction is associated with poor oral health. Oral and dental care in heroin addiction might be complicated by altered mental status, negative attitude towards oral health, dental anxiety and fear, drug interaction, and associated medical co-morbidity. We present the oral findings and discuss the dental, behavioural, and anaesthetic management considerations in a 46-year-old man who had dental anxiety and had been an intravenous heroin user for the past 23 years.