As with many conditions, the more substance abuse is researched, the more professionals learn about treating the condition. Drug abuse treatment is a lengthy and challenging process. Drug abuse recovery requires abstaining from drugs, but for many people finding the drive and motivation to stick to their treatment plan is difficult.
Often, people who begin treatment do not complete their programs. The nature of the condition makes it incredibly difficult to treat.
This means that researchers spend countless amount of time finding new ways to motivate those who are affected with the condition. Unsurprisingly, a person’s appearance is tied to their self esteem levels. When someone feels good about the way that they look their self esteem rises and their drive to be successful is increased.
In the case of substance abuse recovery patients, improving this confidence level isn’t easy. There are hundreds of ways that drug abuse negatively affects the body. One of the major side effects is damage to the teeth. Damaged teeth can fall out, rot, and become infected. This leads to a lower self esteem level which does not serve as a motivator for someone to quit their substance abuse habit.
A recent study conducted by the University of Utah School of Dentistry at First Step and Odyssey House, two treatment and recovery centers, showed evidence that dental health is tied to recovery success.
This study allowed 286 people undergoing treatment to receive dental care. This consisted of replacing missing teeth, providing dentures, performing root canals, and other important procedures. These students worked to not only replace missing teeth, but also repair damage to existing teeth.
These procedures required the patient’s teeth to be pulled. This process is especially painful for someone undergoing substance abuse treatment since they cannot take pain killers. While the process wasn’t easy, the end result was well worth the pain.
The researchers found that patients who received dental care stayed in the treatment center two times longer than those who did not. They also saw an 80 increase in these patients completing their treatment.
This shows just how effective good dental care and treatment is in a person’s overall health and well-being. For some of the patients in the treatment center, having a healthy and full smile was enough to significantly increase their happiness.
Since mood directly impacts the treatment process for patients, increasing their level of happiness and satisfaction is imperative. Additionally, after the treatment program was over the patients who received the dental health treatment were two times more likely to get jobs after treatment. Those same patients were more unlikely to be homeless after treatment.
Their confidence boost from the improvement of their health and appearance proved to be very effective. This proves that a person’s oral health is directly tied to quality of life.
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