Meth Mouth - Society and Culture

Society and Culture

Although most methamphetamine users lived in Asia in the early 2000s, the use of the drug increased dramatically in other parts of the world in that decade. In areas where use of the drug has become common, meth mouth is often widespread. The condition is expensive to treat and has strained public health resources, prompting concerns among dental authorities in several countries about the burden of treatment.

Images of meth mouth are usually considered disturbing and have been used in anti-drug campaigns, even being placed on billboards. The condition is often mentioned in media coverage of methamphetamine, and it has been included in media portrayals of drug abuse to demonstrate the scope of the drug's effects or to provoke disgust in the audience.