Use of Evidence-Based Decision-Making in Comprehensive Dental Treatment of a Patient with Meth Mouth—A Case Report

Abstract

ObjectiveThis case report illustrates the use of evidence-based practice in formulating a comprehensive dental treatment plan for a patient who presented himself with signs of oral health debilitation accompanying methamphetamine (MA) abuse called “meth mouth” with the goal of providing dental care practitioners in Saudi Arabia with an insight into the global problem of MA abuse and its impact on oral health. BackgroundThis report documents the case of a 22-year-old male patient who reported to the clinic with rampant caries caused due to MA abuse exacerbated by poor oral hygiene and smoking habit. MethodThe treatment plan of this present case was formulated on the lines of the evidence-based dentistry approach. A clinical question was composed based on the Problem, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome format to identify past studies and case reports on meth mouth. A standard search was conducted on PubMed Central. Standard guidelines on the treatment of meth mouth were extracted from the Web site of the American Dental Association. ResultsA total of 2 systematic reviews, 7 review articles, 4 epidemiologic studies, 5 case reports, and 1 American Dental Association guideline were found. ConclusionAccelerated dental decay leading to rampant caries in young and middle-aged adults is a characteristic oral finding in MA abusers. The most important factor that affects the prognosis of dental care is complete cessation of MA use by the patient.