"Meth Mouth" costly at Indiana jail

LAGRANGE COUNTY, Ind. (WANE) - It's referred to as "meth mouth". As the use of meth has increased over the years, dental bills at county jails have as well. That cost ultimately gets paid for by the tax payer.

Inside the LaGrange County jail, there are a lot of meth users, and in turn a lot of people who need a dentist.

By the time a meth user gets checked into lock up Dr. Alan Wilhere with American Dental Service says there's little more he can do than pull the problem tooth out so it'll stop causing pain.

"The meth itself is highly acidic and corrosive," said Wilhere. "Whether they smoke it or snort it or even inject it, it damages a lot of internal organs. But in the mouth it tends to dry the salivary glands, which normally will wash away the bacteria that produces acid that destroys the teeth." Wilhere said with under active salivary glands, coupled with a tendency to ignore healthcare as it is, meth users often end up with a mouth full of mush.

Wilhere visits the LaGrange County Jail about once a month and usually sees at least six inmates. In the last year, those visits have racked up more than $20 thousand in medical bills. The cost for dental care averages out to about $165 for every inmate that sees Wilhere.

That cost is down from a year ago, though, when Sheriff Terry Martin says his department was transporting inmates out of the jail to see private dentists.

"We don't have the cost of fuel taking them to the dentist," said Martin. "We don't have the cost of the man power going out there for security." Plus, Martin says, not as many inmates are interested in dental care when it doesn't mean a trip outside, followed by some major pain killers.

"We do not prescribe any narcotics," said Wilhere. "The strongest we give is prescription strength Ibuprofen."

LaGrange County does house some inmates for the Department of Corrections, so the state will reimburse the county for the care of those inmates. Correctional facilities are obligated to provide a certain level of dental care but it is basic. Apart from major issues that cause serious pain, Wilhere advise inmates at the jail to get further care when they are released, even for something like the filling of a cavity.