Can smoking heroin cause abcesses, and/or sepsis?

I do not proof read

You realize that sepsis is a bacterial infection of the blood? WHy would heroin cause this.

And no heroin is not caustic like methamphetamine and is unlikely to induce oral lessions or ulcers. Although canker sores are not out of the question, as even toothpaste triggers these ulcers.

Most heroin addicts do have poor oral hygiene and resultingly often have oral maladies.

Contrary to popular belief, heroin has no toxic effects on the human body, just like nearly all opiates.

Though it often has contaminates that may be toxic. Most commonly heroin has damaging physcial effects due to the route of administration. IV use will often lead to abscesses and scarring due to contaminants and improper IV administration.

Overdose from heroin alone is also not as common as most believe, the truth is the 9/10 heroin OD's are caused my mixed drug interaction. Most commonly benzodiazepines and alcohol whose seadtive effects have a synergistic depressant effect on the CNS causing respiratory arrest.

Good luck, heroin use is not advised but can be very pleasurable.

Dr Jake

Sepsis, is a serious medical condition characterized by a whole-body inflammatory state (called a systemic inflammatory response syndrome or SIRS) and the presence of a known or suspected infection.[1][2] The body may develop this inflammatory response to microbes in the blood, urine, lungs, skin, or other tissues. An incorrect layman's term for sepsis is blood poisoning, more aptly applied to Septicemia, below.

smoking heroin can not cause abscesses or sepsis. Poor oral hygiene and periodontal disease can cause oral abscesses but smoking heroin wont. the dental abscesses can cause sepsis though.

if you want to smoke diamorphine, keep your teeth in good healthy working order.

and people, don't assume just because someone uses drugs that they automatically have poor oral hygiene. This is a sorry stereotype. Not to say it doesn't happen, but many drug users have perfect teeth, neat hair, clean skin and wear deodorant. a large populations of successful doctors, lawyers, judges, politicians and dentists are drug users/abusers, 9 times out of 10 you'd never know it.

Heroin Abscesses

Oral maladies are very common in people who abuse drugs. I treat them in my ER on a regular basis. Without having ever read anything in regards to drug to tooth or oral membrane contact, I'd still think 'bathing' one's mouth with any kind of drug would cause problems. In the addicted population, another problem occurs. When they have money, they'd rather spend it on drugs that getting regular dental care. It's easier, and cheaper, to come to the ER and get antibiotics and pain meds on the tax payer's dollars. So... yes! I do believe smoking heroine in conjunction with not having regular dental exams can cause abscesses.

Now, about sepsis. Sepsis is usually due to untreated infections. And yes, you can develop sepsis from a dental abscess. In fact, abscess due to dental abscess have been known to become fatal.

Google: "Dental abscess deaths"

No, not directly, but smoking usually leads to shooting, which of course can.

It can kill you. Isn't that reason enough to stop? The answer is yes.

simply stop it its not good for any part of the body.