Dental caries experience and oral hygiene status among methadone users in Kaunas, Lithuania

Abstract

INTRODUCTION In methadone clinics people who are addicted to opioid - based illegal drugs such as heroin, or prescription painkillers such as fentanyl, can receive replacement therapy. Methadone is given to patients as a long acting synthetic opioid, which causes the same chemical reaction in the body as heroin. As reported by State Mental Health Centre of Lithuania almost 600 patients received a methadone based addiction treatment in Lithuania in 2016. Former heroin users treated with methadone have been shown to have a poor periodontal status, and severe decay. Prolonged usage of opioids causes xerostomia (dry mouth) and consecutively, decrease in the cleansing action and growth of dental plaque. Although abuse drugs have a detrimental effect on health in general, there is lack of information about opioid consumers’ oral health. To our knowledge, no research related to this subject has been conducted in Lithuania. AIM The study aim was to evaluatecertain oral health parameters of heroin users in Kaunas, Lithuania, who are currently on methadone treatment. The specific objectives were to: evaluate dental caries experience and evaluate oral hygiene status, based on the dental plaque index.[...].