The Destructive Effects of khat
A recent letter in the BDJ highlights the effects of recent legislation on the use of khat.


Some literature has also suggested other possible adverse oral health outcomes, such as oral mucosal white changes, gingival recession, gingival bleeding and periodontal pocketing among others. As of June 2014 khat became controlled as a class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act. I feel that this legislation has and will continue to have a beneficial efffect upon the oral health of patients previously accustomed to chewing khat. In my experience, I have noticed fewer patients presenting with such problems since the legislation and hope that this trend continues.
R. Marway, London
Reproduced from the BDJ Volume 221 No. 1 July 8 2016
Image:
Khat plant... By User:Katpatuka - With kind permission of / Mit freundlicher Erlaubnis vom Botanischen Garten Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=506551