Weed lovers rejoice. You can now add one more item to the long list of things that cannabis is great at — keeping your teeth healthy
According to a recent study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, a number of cannabinoids in cannabis, namely CBD, CBGA, CBG, CBN, and CBC, might be better at preventing cavities and gum disease than some of the most common kinds of toothpaste.
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The study tested the cannabinoids against Colgate, Oral B, and Cannabite F toothpastes and that that they killed more bacteria in plaque than the oral hygiene products specifically made to protect your teeth.
“Cannabinoids have the potential to be used as an effective antibacterial agent against dental plaque-associated bacteria,” researchers wrote in the paper.
The researchers used sterile toothpicks to collect plaque samples from 60 healthy adults with at least seven teeth (weird requirement), which they spread across Petri dishes.
The Petri dishes were then treated with cannabinoids and toothpaste and incubated for 24 hours.
On average, all five cannabinoids mentioned above prevented bacteria growth better than any of the three toothpastes.
So does that mean you can just rub buds all over your teeth? Maybe, but probably not.
“Although commercially available oral care products are considerably effective in maintaining the oral hygiene of the average population, our study found that cannabinoids are substantially effective in reducing the colony count of the bacterial strains of the dental plaque as compared to the well-established synthetic oral care products such as Oral B and Colgate.”
Like any study, this one also has its limitations. For one, the researchers didn’t perform statistical analysis for their data “due to lack of replicates.”
The researches also stressed that the results varied among participants as every person’s mouth contains a unique microbiotic profile.
Due to these differences, “a personalized approach would be appropriate to identify the best formulation of oral care that fits into the requirement and nature of biofilm of an individual,” the study authors wrote.
They also concluded that their study could open up “the possibilities of developing personalized next-generation oral care products based on cannabinoids.”
Even before the study’s publication, Colgate seems to have taken note of cannabis’ potential in dental health care.
The company, which is one of the world’s largest oral hygiene product manufacturers, recently purchased Hello, a line of CBD-infused toothpastes and mouthwashes.
There you have it. Next time your parents of significant other bugs you about your wake-and-bake session, just tell them you’re taking care of your teeth.
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