Periodontal Gum Disease and Cannabis

A small confession, as a long-time Cannabis smoker I fight the potential for periodontal gum disease! Research shows a link between periodontal gum disease and the chronic smoking of Marijuana. (2, 3) According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, there are a number of risk factors for gum disease, but smoking (tobacco) is the most significant. Smoking also can make treatment for gum disease less successful. Another risk factor includes medications that lessen the flow of saliva. (1)

The symptoms of bad gums can remind oneself of a bad horror movie with bad breath, swollen and bleeding gums, and loose and missing teeth. (1) Though I brush, floss and rinse twice a day, my dentist tells me I need to floss, even in the morning. A little embarrassed to tell him I do, he explains that dental plaque, a complex biofilm, builds up over night while sleeping leading to swollen gums. Acting as a reservoir of several microbes, it can be defined as “the soft deposit that forms the biofilm adhering to the tooth surface or other hard surfaces in the oral cavity, including removable and fixed restorations. (10) Even more reason to take proper care of our teeth, several species of bacteria that causes periodontal disease have been found in the atherosclerotic plaque in arteries in the heart and elsewhere. This plaque can lead to a heart attack. (11)

Dry Mouth and Cannabis

Medications that lessen the flow of saliva can cause periodontal disease and Cannabis is a medication that can affect the saliva flow in a patient's mouth. Cotton mouth is a result of the over-activation of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) receptors on the tongue. (4) Sipping water regularly is one tip the Mayo Clinic recommends for easing dry mouth, others include chew sugar-free gum, limit your caffeine intake and don't use mouthwashes that contain alcohol. (7)

The Stoner’s (and Societies’) Junk Food Munchie Problem

Junk food and sodas are the true gateway drugs. Food addiction involves the same areas of your brain as drug addiction. The same neurotransmitters are also involved, and many of the symptoms are identical. (8) Processed junk foods have a powerful effect on the reward centers of your brain. These effects are caused by brain neurotransmitters like dopamine. (9)

Periodontal disease occurs as the result of untreated dental problems, which is in turn driven by a number of factors including poor oral hygiene and excess sugar consumption. It has been noted that the free sugars in fizzy drinks and other junk foods are particularly potent drivers of this. There is now a convincing evidence base linking poor oral health, in particular periodontal disease, to amplified cardiovascular disease risk. (5) Carbonated sodas are also acidic, which erodes tooth enamel and causes cavities. (6)

I love(d) sour gummy belts but they might be the worst edible for our teeth; making a direct correlation between eating sour belts and cavities, I have quit them for good…I swear. Improving our habits could improve our periodontal health…meaning, after eating sour gummy belts, I should try to brush and floss within twenty minutes. Another helpful tip from women, use a straw when drinking carbonated beverages. Good luck!

The moral of the story is you don't have to quit smoking Cannabis and start vaping, it’s about proper oral hygiene and harm reduction. Whether someone smokes or doesn’t, if they don’t practice good oral hygiene and see the dentist on a regular basis, they too are more likely to have periodontal disease. Happy smoking but … remember to floss and brush twice a day and see a dentist!

Cannabinoids For Dental Hygiene?

The oral care market is saturated by large companies selling synthetic oral care products with long-proven effectivity, however; is there room for Cannabinoids? Through previous research, it has been known that Cannabinoids hold antimicrobial properties, even effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). (14) A recent study examined the effectiveness of Cannabinoids versus the big name commercial oral care products. Investigators found multiple Cannabinoids are substantially effective in reducing the colony count of the bacterial strains in dental plaque and that effectiveness can vary from person to person, possibly due to a microbial diversity of oral biofilms. (10)

Investigators collected dental plaque samples from 60 people and studied the effects of several Cannabinoids and three commercial synthetic oral care products Oral B, Colgate and Cannabrite F. The colony count of dental plaque samples of 10 candidates from each of the six research groups was evaluated on exposure to Cannabinoids or toothpastes. In all six research groups studied on Petri dishes, the maximum bacterial growth was observed in Oral B, Colgate, and Cannabite F treatments. The Cannabinoids studied were Cannabidiol (CBD), Cannabichromene (CBC), Cannabinol (CBN), Cannabigerol (CBG) and Cannabigerolic Acid (CBGA). The colony count in Cannabinoid treatments were all significantly lower than that recorded in any of the toothpaste tested. (10)

Cannabis companies, such as AXIM® Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC: AXIM) written about in Forbes Magazine, have already been delving into the oral care segment. Axim are currently in the process of a clinical trial to examine the benefits of Cannabidiol (CBD) Mouthwash and Toothpaste to reduce the grading of Periodontitis compared to a placebo. (12, 13) “CBD is a powerful antibiotic and anti-inflammatory, so we have found it has great benefits in relation to oral care after years of offering our patented CBD-based chewing gum,” Axim CEO John W. Huemoeller II related in a written interview. "The inclusion of CBD for anti-inflammatory and antibiotic is intended to aid reduction in gum swelling while helping to eliminate infection-causing bacteria.” (13)

References
1) Gum Disease by National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research — Link
2) Jaffer A. Shariff Kavita P. Ahluwalia Panos N. Papapanou; Relationship Between Frequent Recreational Cannabis (Marijuana and Hashish) Use and Periodontitis in Adults in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2011 to 2012; Journal of Periodontology, 2. Volume 88, Issue 3, March 2017, Pages 273-280 — Link
3) W. Murray Thomson, PhD, Richie Poulton, PhD, Jonathan M. Broadbent, BDS, Terrie E. Moffitt, PhD, Avshalom Caspi, PhD, James D. Beck, PhD, David Welch, PhD, and Robert J. Hancox, MD; Cannabis Smoking and Periodontal Disease Among Young Adults; JAMA. 2008 February 6; 299(5): 525–531. doi:10.1001/jama.299.5.525. — Link
4) Prestifilippo JP, Fernández-Solari J, de la Cal C, Iribarne M, Suburo AM, Rettori V, McCann SM, Elverdin JC; Inhibition of salivary secretion by activation of cannabinoid receptors.; Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2006 Sep;231(8):1421-9. — Link
5) Amardeep Bains and Mohammed Ahmed Rashid; Junk food and heart disease: the missing tooth; Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine; 106(12) 472–473
DOI: 10.1177/0141076813512297 — Link
6) D. L Gambon, H. S Brand, and A.V Nieuw Amerongen; Soft Drink, Software and Softening of Teeth – a Case Report of Tooth Wear in the Mixed Dentition Due to a Combination of Dental Erosion and Attrition; Open Dent J. 2010; 4: 198–200. doi: 10.2174/1874210601004010198 — Link
7) Thomas J. Salinas, D.D.S., Dry mouth treatment: Tips for controlling dry mouth Mayo Clinic, Feb. 28, 2017 — Link
8) Kris Gunnars, BSc; How to Overcome Food Addiction; Healthline(dot)com January 22, 2019 — Link
9) ADDICTION Junk-food junkies; Nature, Research Highlights, Vol 464|1 April 2010 — Link
10) Veronica Stahl 1 , Kumar Vasudevan, Comparison of Efficacy of Cannabinoids versus Commercial Oral Care Products in Reducing Bacterial Content from Dental Plaque: A Preliminary Observation, Cureus, January 29, 2020, DOI: 10.7759/cureus.6809 — Link
11) Harvard Medical School, Heart disease and oral health: role of oral bacteria in heart plaque, February 2007 — Link
12) Andre Bourque, Cannabis For Your Mouth: R&D, Patents, And Your Next Visit To The Dentist, Forbes magazine, Jun 29, 2019 — Link
13) Impression Healthcare, Clinical Trial – Gum Disease Gum Disease affects up to 5M people in Australia, 2019 — Link
14) Chandni Tandon, Priti Mathur, Antimicrobial Efficacy of Cannabis sativa L. (Bhang): A Comprehensive Review, Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 44(1), May - June 2017; Article No. 26, Pages: 94-100 — Link