Looking for a reason to quit drugs? Do we have a plan for you – show you the horrifying pictures doctors see every day of gaping holes in the roof of Cocaine users’ mouths, directly caused by the drug.

The squeamish should avoid reading more.

Called a Palatal Perforation

The scientific term is Palatal Perforation, but it’s essentially a hole in the roof of the mouth that is open to the nasal cavity. While there are several causes to this, the most common by far is sustained cocaine use.

Cocaine use nasally restricts blood flow through specific vessels. Without this blood, the palate doesn’t have access to oxygen and simply dies within your mouth. As it rots away, the sinus cavity is revealed.

Side Effects

The side effects of palatal perforation are extensive, and often embarrassing. While it’s not life-threatening on its own, it can be dangerous when food gets trapped and rots, causing infections. Often food and drink consumed will come up through the nasal passages and be ‘regurgitated’ through the nose.

Tastes aren’t the same either, as there are many taste buds on the roof of your mouth. The structure of the palate is also very important for speech – T, H, and S sounds all use the hard top of your mouth to be formed. With a giant hole, it becomes a little difficult to speak.

Doctors worry that this will become more common in the next ten years as cocaine use sees a rise, and is treated less like a ‘serious’ drug and more of a ‘party addition’.