Dental precautions in treating drug addicts: A hidden problem among teens and preteens

Dentists who treat teen and pre-teen age patients probably have been in contact with drug addicts. Addicts mcty seek only crisis-oriented dental care and may attempt to gain a prescription from the dentist. The dentist should be aware of patients who have been or are presently on drugs and should not treat these patients while they are under the influence o[ an abused drug. Addicts injecting drugs are potential hepatitis carriers as a result of using unsterile needles. Subacute bacterial endocarditis has been found in addicts and has been attributed to the response of the heart valves to the cutting agents used to dilute the drugs. Categories of commonly abused drugs are narcotics, amphetamines, barbiturates, halucinogens, non-barbiturate tranquilizers, solvents and inhalents.