Emerging Role of CBD in Oral Health

Oral hygiene is an integral part of human health and wellbeing. The consequences of lacking in oral hygiene are serious. It can lead to gum disease, cavities, and even infection, which will cause systemic inflammation if left untreated. Recently, new dental products have been entering the marketplace. They contain cannabidiol, or CBD, as well as other plant cannabinoids. Why? What is behind this trend?

Although the market has seen a number of dramatic products of debatable benefit, such as CBD-infused underwear and CBD-infused bedding, make entrances of late, lab-tested CBD oil products might actually have therapeutic benefit to oral health. When one considers the benefits of cannabis therapy, oral health is not what one usually thinks to bring to the discussion.

However, emerging data from recent studies suggest that cannabinoids could well become essential to dentistry in the future ahead. Already, several large toothpaste companies are noting research into the antimicrobial properties of CBD and other cannabinoids, as well as how they relate to dental care. Colgate, for example, is already making CBD-infused dental products, like mouthwashes and toothpaste.

Improved Efficacy

Researchers in Belgium made an interesting discovery earlier this year. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, they conducted a study showing cannabinoids significantly more effective at lowering bacterial colony count in dental plaques. This comparative to other well-established and respected synthetic products for oral care, such as Colgate and Oral B.

The study itself consisted of recruiting sixty healthy folks to demonstrate. The team then split them into six different groups according to the Dutch periodontal scoring index, or DPSI. The DPSI represents gum health and the different levels of gum disease. Scientists then collected plaque samples from the intradental spaces between the teeth of study subjects.

These samples then went into two separate Petri dishes, with four divisions within each. On each section, the team spread either 12.5 percent of cannabinoid or undiluted toothpaste with a microbrush applicator onto the agar plate. Dish A received a combination of four cannabinoids, being CBD, cannabichromene, or CBC, cannabinol, or CNB, or cannabigerol, or CBG.

Petri Dish B received a mixture of cannabigerolic acid, or CBGA, Oral B, Colgate, or Cannabite F; a toothpaste formulated using algae and pomegranates. In the Cannabite F, Oral B, and Colgate treatments, the resulting bacterial colony count was notably higher. This was not so in all of the cannabinoid treatments. They each recorded lower bacterial colony counts.

CBD vs. Chlorhexidine

In another, later study, published in the Journal of Cannabis Research, the same Belgian researchers demonstrated that by infusing mouthwashes with cannabinoids CBD and CBG at <1 percent was as effective at removing dental plaque as using mouthwashes with .2 percent chlorhexidine is. This finding is important, since dentists everywhere consider chlorhexidine the very, very best at reducing plaque.

Like the first study in design, this second study recruited 72 healthy people and split them into different groups according to their DPSI scores. Again, the team harvested and plated plaques from the intradental spaces of each. They measured zones of microbial inhibition to compare the efficacy of each product against the other. The race was on for CBD vs. chlorhexidine.

Based entirely on these findings, it is possible to conclude very desirable and promising results. It seems that formulations of cannabinoids produce the best results, even better than synthetic dental products, and even better than industry darling chlorhexidine. Although chlorhexidine has recorded propensity for staining teeth with regular use, it was, until now, the gold standard of plaque removal.

A Reminder

By highlighting the possibility of using CBD and other cannabinoids to prevent the formation of dental plaque, these two studies suggest that the role of cannabinoids in oral care could be enormous. However, it is vital that we remind ourselves that these studies are preliminary, in vitro. To know the long-term efficacy and safety of CBD-infused dental products, clinical trials, in vivo, are essential first.

Furthermore, it is incredibly important that others are able to replicate these findings too. This is especially so because the authors of these particular studies, although promising on their own, do have financial stake in their findings. Specifically, Stahl, lead author, is a founder of CannlBite, a company directly involved in infusing dental products with cannabinoids specifically.

CBD Delivery Services near Me

You can find quality CBD oil online these days. Adding it to your dental routine is easy. Already, an array of lab-tested CBD oil products is entering the dental market. From CBD-infused toothpastes to CBD capsules, there is something for everyone. A simple Google search will show you where you can buy hemp oil legally and nearby. Just make sure it comes from a reputable and trusted supplier.

Not all CBD is the same. Some is poor quality. Some contains no CBD at all. What is worse, some online services steal personal information, sell it to third parties, and otherwise engage in digital crimes. Still others overcharge, and still others make inferior products. Check reviews. Research all CBD delivery companies thoroughly before parting with your money, and demand Certificates of Analysis.