BITES&BRIEFS Half of Dentists Surveyed Report
Patients High During Dental Visits Surveys show increased prevalence of marijuana use which can affect patients’ oral health
M
ore than half of dentists responding to a new ADA survey report seeing patients who are high on mari- juana or another drug during dental visits. An ADA
online survey of 557 dentists found 56 percent reported limiting treatment to patients who were high and, because of how marijuana and anesthesia affect the central nervous system, 46 percent of surveyed dentists reported sometimes needing to increase anesthesia to treat patients who needed care. The find- ings come as recreational marijuana use is legal in 21 states and the District of Columbia, plus medicinal use is legal in 39 states and D.C. The trend shown in the survey is concerning because being high for a dental appointment after recreational marijuana use can limit the care that a dentist can provide, said Dr. Tricia Quartey, an ADA spokesperson and general dentist in Brooklyn, New York.
“When talking through health histories, more patients tell me they use marijuana regularly because it is now legal,” said Dr. Quartey. “Unfortunately, sometimes having marijuana in your system results in needing an additional visit.”
Marijuana can lead to increased anxiety, paranoia and hyper- activity, which could make the visit more stressful. It can also increase heart rate and has unwanted respiratory side effects, which increases the risk of using local anesthetics for pain con- trol. “The best treatment options are always ones a dentist and patient decide on together. A clear head is essential for that,” said Dr. Quartey. And there are other oral health concerns dentists should be watching for in patients who use marijuana. Smoking marijuana is associated with periodontal disease, xero- stomia and increased risk of mouth and neck cancers. Studies have shown regular marijuana users are more likely to have significantly more cavities than nonusers. “The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, makes you hungry, and people don’t always make healthy food choices under its influence,” Dr. Quartey said. “Medically speaking, munchies are real.”
But an ADA survey of 1,006 consumers on marijuana and vaping use also has some good news: 67 percent of patients say they are comfortable talking to their dentist about marijuana. The ADA recommends dentists discuss marijuana use while reviewing health history during dental visits. The consumer survey found nearly 4 in 10 (39 percent) patients reported using marijuana, with smoking the most common form of use. Separately, 25 percent of respondents said they vaped, and of those respondents, 51 percent vaped marijuana. The ADA has called for addi- tional research around marijuana and oral health and will continue to monitor the science to provide clinical recommendations for dentists and patients.
14 focus | NOV/DEC 2022 | ISSUE 6
ADA Asks Dentists Urge Senators to Pass Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act
The ADA stressed it is critical dentists contact their senators now before the end of the year and Congress adjourns. Once the current session of Congress adjourns, the bill would have to be reintroduced next year and the process would start over again. To directly contact your senators, visit
ActionCenter.ADA.org/Pass-ELSA.
T
he ADA is urging dentists nation- wide to contact their senators in support of the Ensuring Lasting
Smiles Act (ELSA). If enacted ELSA would require all private group and individual health plans to cover medically neces- sary services resulting from a congenital anomaly or birth defect. This would include inpatient and outpatient care and reconstructive services and procedures, as well as adjunctive dental, orthodontic, or prosthodontic support. The bipartisan legislation passed the House of Represen- tatives earlier this year following advocacy from ADA members and was a central issue featured at the 2022 ADA Dentist and Stu- dent Lobby Day. In a November 16 action alert, the ADA stated one out of every 33 children in the U.S. is born with a congeni- tal anomaly, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These anomalies include severe oral and facial defects and can interfere with the ability to breathe, speak and/or eat in a normal man- ner. For many of these children, specialized surgery is needed, and the procedures are reconstructive, since they are performed to correct abnormal structures. However, despite the reconstructive nature and ne- cessity of such procedures, many insurance companies consider these services to be merely cosmetic. While the companies may provide coverage for the preliminary sur- geries, the alert noted insurers may delay or deny follow-up or corrective procedures, including necessary dental treatment, which can have a negative impact on a child’s developmental milestones.
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