Starvation and Methheads

[broberfett]

If you've watched any of those survival shows on the Discovery channel then you have heard them talk about starvation. I watched one where they said that it takes 30 days for a man to starve to death and a bit longer for a fat man. So I've also had conversations about Methheads where people talked about them losing their teeth. I asked why they lose their teeth and I've been told that they stopped eating. Did they really lose them for some other reason? If you were starving to death, how long would it take for you to lose your teeth and have other permanent type damage? What about things like a potassium deficiency damaging your heart?

 

[gturner]

It's not from lack of eating. So far as the dentists can tell, meth mouth comes from dry mouth (lack of saliva) and tooth grinding.

 

[The Boy Who Cried Worf]

It's not from lack of eating. So far as the dentists can tell, meth mouth comes from dry mouth (lack of saliva) and tooth grinding.

Ditto. I just learned that in pharmacy tech. class last week.

 

[broberfett]

So will a starving person lose teeth? I thought that meth tooth loss thing sounded off to me, but I had multiple people tell me that is why they lose their teeth.

 

[gturner]

No, starving people don't lose their teeth. That's why Sally Field asks you to send food instead of toothbrushes. Meth heads aren't known for deep self-understanding.

 

[SmoothieX]

^You mean Sally Struthers.

 

[freak]

Anyone here ever watch the show "Intervention" that comes on A&E on Monday nights? That show is full of meth addicts who constantly use and some to the point of losing their teeth as well. This is a good example of a meth addict that I have seen..this show is pretty intense so I must warn you it is not for the faint of heart!

As for starvation, I've never heard of teeth falling out because of that in general...but because of bad tooth decay or worse, not brushing your teeth on a regular basis. I'm not for sure how long it takes a fat man to starve to death..maybe 60 days.

 

[Kestra]

It's tooth-grinding and the things mentioned upthread, along with poor nutrition and dental hygiene that come with many addictions.

 

[broberfett]

It's tooth-grinding and the things mentioned upthread, along with poor nutrition and dental hygiene that come with many addictions.

Wouldn't starvation be poor nutrition?

 

[FordSVT]

You can have poor nutrition habits without "starving" yourself. Try living on nothing but two meals a day of instant noodles, powdered grape drink and bread for months on end. You won't be dead but you'll feel like it.