Soda Consumption Among Methamphetamine Users in the USA: Impact on Oral Health

Purpose: Dental disease is associated with methamphetamine (MA) use and partly attributed to excessive consumption of sugared sodas. Hence, the purpose of this study was to verify patterns of sugared soda intake and their relationship to oral health. Materials and Methods: Detailed assessments with 541 MA users at two dental clinics were conducted. Assessment included a lifetime history of methamphetamine use, sugared soda consumption and a dental exam. Results: Subjects were predominantly male (80.8%; mean age 44.4 years), on average had used MA for 11.6 years and drank an average of 35.3 sodas per month. Number of days of MA use over the past 30 days was significantly associated with soda consumption. Increased years of MA use was associated with the likelihood of users reporting less overall satisfaction with life because of their teeth, specifically difficulty eating, and dry mouth. This is the first study to show a statistically significant association between MA use and sugared soda consumption. Conclusions: MA users' consumption of sugared sodas is higher than in the adult general population, and this is the first study to show a statistically significant association between MA use and sugared soda consumption. In addition, increased soda consumption was associated with more dental problems among MA users. Keywords: carbonated beverages, dental clinics, dental health surveys, dental research, drug users, methamphetamine