A study of the effects of tramadol addiction on the cervical area of the tooth
Alzaanin W
Pakistan
: Dent Health Curr Res
Abstract
Introduction: Opioid abuse is a critical and health-concerning issue worldwide. Considering that Opioids have many side effects on the mental and physical health of humans including oral health, studying the adverse effects of Opioid abuse is a must. Objectives: This study has been conducted to investigate the adverse impacts of Tramadol abuse on the community in the Gaza Strip. Methods: An observational case-control study was conducted. 93 cases were randomly selected among individuals who had a history of Tramadol abuse. Patients were matched for age, smoking history and oral hygiene habits. A representative sample of the 5 most commonly used counterfeit Tramadol tablets was identified from cases within a group of addicts. Caries assessment using the Decayed-Missing-Filled-tooth (DMFT) index was also done. Using SPSS software, descriptive statistics, independent t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were performed. Results: The results show that 78.5% of the addicts were below the age of 25. A significantly positive correlation between the cervical caries and the DMFT has been noticed (R=0.956, P=0.00). The difference between the two groups concerning the DMFT, Ca and PO4 was statistically significant. The effects of friends, absence of parents monitoring and teenagers’ euphoria were the main risk factors encouraging patients towards engaging in those illegal actions of Tramadol abuse. Conclusion: 25 causes have been noticed to drive persons towards addiction include acute pain killer, educational and environmental factors, alternative way to escape the pressures of life especially with the current bad economic level and the relatively high rate of unemployment in the Gaza Strip.
Biography
