On this episode of A Tale of Two Hygienists Andrew is joined by Dr. Ronni Brown, DDS, MPH about Meth Mouth. Sharing information on how the use of methamphetamines impacts your patients oral health and the signs to look for! 

This episode has FREE CE! Be sure to view your state guidelines to ensure this CE is applicable in your State. You can view all episodes with Free CE here. Take the CE course for this episode HERE

 

Episode Highlights

• Dr. Brown’s background
• What is Meth Mouth
• How is it different from sugar decay?
• Addiction stages
• Signs and symptoms 
• Pharmacology
• Treatment planning
• Refer your patients

 

Quotes

“My first patient was 20 years old and when he opened his mouth I gasped, because his mouth was devastated. Teeth that were black and broken.” 

 

“What I was seeing was decay, but it looked different.” 

 

“I began peppering my patients with questions, how do you get this drug, where do you get it, how much does it cost, how does it make you feel, and I began to develop hypotheses on how the drug was impacting decay.” 

 

“I knew when I walked in the door for my Masters that I would walk out an expert on Meth Mouth and that I would write my thesis on it.” 

 

“Those who were smoking the drug had an increased rate of decay.” 

 

“These are patients that are in our chairs, 1 out of every 10 individuals in the United states has a substance use disorder.” 

 

“The pharmacology explains everything!”

 

“We need to treat our patients for who they are, not one and done.” 

 

Links

 

www.DrRonniBrown.com

 

Text 22828 with “astateofdecay”

 

Toll Free Substance Abuse Number: 1800-662-HELP

 

Linked In Ronni Brown, DDS, MPH - Book Author

 

A State of Decay: Your Dental Guide to Understanding and Treating "Meth Mouth" Kindle Edition 

 

@astateofdecaybook on Instagram