Impact of crack cocaine use on the occurrence of oral lesions and micronuclei.

The aim of this study was to investigate the occurrence of oral lesions and micronuclei in crack cocaine users. A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 106 crack users and 106 non-users matched for age, sex, and tobacco use. Socio-demographic characteristics, the consumption of psychoactive substances, and the occurrence of fundamental lesions were investigated. Cellular changes in the oral mucosa (karyolysis, karyorrhexis, 'broken egg' events, and micronuclei) were determined by exfoliative cytology for 54 participants in each group. Crack users had a greater occurrence of fundamental lesions (P=0.001). Furthermore, they had higher mean occurrences of micronuclei (17.25 vs. 3.80), karyolysis (12.39 vs. 9.46), and karyorrhexis (30.39 vs. 10.11) (number per 1000 cells) than non-users (all P<0.05). No difference between the groups was found with regard to broken egg events (P>0.05). After controlling for confounding variables, fundamental lesions were 2.02-fold more frequent and micronuclei were 3.54-fold more frequent in crack users. Crack use was found to be associated with clinical and cellular changes in the oral mucosa. These findings can contribute to the planning of health care for individuals who are dependent on street drugs.

The use of crack and other illicit drugs impacts oral health-related quality of life in Brazilians.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of the use of crack and other illicit drugs on oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) in young adults. METHODS: This cross-sectional study evaluated 106 crack users at a public treatment center for drug addiction and 106 controls matched for gender, age, and use of tobacco. Clinical examinations were performed for dental caries and periodontal disease. The outcome was OHRQoL, which was determined using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14). The association between OHRQoL and illicit drugs was modeled using conditional Poisson regression. RESULTS: Users of crack and other illicit drugs had a poorer OHRQoL than the controls (p < .001). Among the crack users, the odds ratio to yield high OHIP-14 was 3.40 (95% confidence interval, 1.91-6.08). Adjustment for sex, age, schooling, income, smoking, dental caries, and periodontal disease did not change such an estimate considerably. The functional limitation and psychological discomfort domains were associated with the use of illicit drugs. CONCLUSION: Users of crack and other illicit drugs exerted a negative impact on OHRQoL independently of socio-demographic characteristics and tobacco use, suggesting the need for special attention regarding the specific oral health needs of this population as well as drug prevention and treatment strategies.

RT-PCR quantification of periodontal pathogens in crack users and non-users.

OBJECTIVE: To compare counts of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Prevotella intermedia, Porphyromonas gingivalis and Fusobacterium nucleatum between crack users and non-users. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving seventy-four crack cocaine users and eighty-one non-users matched for age, gender and tobacco use. Demographic and clinical variables were analysed. Subgingival bacterial samples were collected from four sites with the greatest probing depths and were analysed using real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the prevalence of total counts for each bacterial species analysed between groups. However, crack users had a 1.85 (95% CI: 1.03-3.31), 2.19 (95% CI 1.24-3.88), 2.53 (95% CI 1.27-5.04) and 2.40 (95% CI 1.22-4.75) greater probability of having the higher counts (≥75th percentile) for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although some crack users had higher (>75th percentile) bacterial counts for Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia and Fusobacterium nucleatum, total counts did not differ between crack users and non-users, leading to the hypothesis that the higher occurrence of periodontitis on crack users may be related to other non-bacterial factors.