Illicit drug abuse affects periodontal health status

OBJECTIVE: To determine periodontal health status among drug addicts in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

METHODS: Drug addiction recovery patients were recruited from Al-Amal Rehabilitation Hospital, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia between October and December 2012. A questionnaire was used to determine socio-demographic data, oral hygiene measures, and previous drug abuse. Full periodontal charting was carried out including probing depth, recession, attachment loss, bleeding on probing, and plaque index.

RESULTS: A total of 57 male patients participated in the study. Cannabis was the drug of choice of most (66.7%) of the subjects, followed by amphetamines (52.6%), alcohol (43.9%), heroin (35.1%), and 8.8% reported using cocaine. All participants had some form of periodontitis with moderate chronic periodontitis affecting 60% of the sample, while mild periodontitis affected 29.1%, and severe periodontitis affected 10.9% of the sample. Cocaine and heroin users showed higher mean clinical attachment loss compared with non-users (p<0.05). Pocket depths of 5-6 mm were found in more than half of the sample. Cocaine users had the highest percentage (80%) of pocket depths that ranged from 5-6 mm.

CONCLUSION: Illicit drug use, especially heroin and cocaine, is associated with more severe forms of periodontitis.