# Meth addicts and bad teeth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 6, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109 "2010-06-06T00:05:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/1 "2010-06-06T00:05:51Z")

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Do they have bad teeth (in the stereotype anyway) because the meth (or process of using the meth or something meth related) does something bad to the teeth, or is it more they just spend so much time acquiring meth, using meth, and thinking about using and acquiring meth that they neglect their teeth.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/2 "2010-06-06T00:07:59Z")

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i believe smoking meth eats the enamel on your teeth.

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**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/3 "2010-06-06T00:09:20Z")

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Nope, mostly because meth inhibits [saliva](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meth_mouth).

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/4 "2010-06-06T00:14:12Z")

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IIRC it not only inhibits saliva (which helps keep the teeth clean) but it also makes what saliva is still there more acidic which isn’t good for your teeth. Couple that with the fact that most meth addicts (ones that are bad enough to get meth mouth) probably don’t have very good oral hygiene and probably don’t see the dentist when they start to notice a problem.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/5 "2010-06-06T00:14:52Z")

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> [@jasg](#):
>
> Nope, mostly because meth inhibits [saliva](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meth_mouth).

Your link seems to imply they are too stoned to brush their teeth and drink too much Coke. 🙂

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**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\
**Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/meth-addicts-and-bad-teeth/542109/6 "2010-06-06T00:23:03Z")

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Correct - methamphetamine use inhibits saliva and causes bruxism, a/k/a teeth grinding.