According to a recent 2019 study published in the Cureus Journal of Medical Science, marijuana may be a more effective oral care product than Colgate! The study is one of the first to compare the efficacy of well-established oral care products and cannabinoids in reducing the bacterial content of dental plaque. The authors took sixty adults, categorized them into groups based on their periodontal health and took a sample of their dental plaques. They then colonized the bacteria on Petri dishes and exposed them to Colgate, Oral B, Cannabite F (an herbal pomegranate and algae toothpaste), or Cannabinoids extracted from marijuana.

After examining the bacteria colony counts of each tested sample it was determined that the Cannabinoids mainly consisting of CBD, CBC, CBN, and CBG were more effective antibacterial agents for reducing plaque-associated bacteria compared to the well-established toothpastes.

The Problems With Plaque

Plaque made up of bacteria leads to dental caries, gingivitis, and periodontal diseases. This makes its removal paramount to good oral hygiene, which includes mechanical brushing, using mouthwash, flossing and yearly dental cleanings.

When we think of great teeth, the white perfectly straight smile is what usually comes to mind. It is important to consider the health of our gums and teeth on the same level as their cosmetic appearance because mild plaque can soon develop into conditions capable of causing havoc on one’s body. According to the CDC periodontal diseases increase with age and 47.2% of adults over 30 years have some form of it already. Untreated, it will cause inflammation and infections to the gums and bone that support your teeth.

Commercial Toothpaste or Cannabis?

For all the research groups studied, the maximum bacterial growth was observed in Oral B, Colgate, and Cannabite F treatments. Colony counts in cannabinoid treatments were all significantly lower than those recorded in any of the toothpaste tested. Among the cannabinoids tested, CBN and CBC were some of the most effective at inhibiting bacterial growth.

Researchers concluded, “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”. Further research with a larger sample size will be needed to validate the findings; however, the study opens up possibilities for developing custom next-generation oral care products based on cannabinoids. It was also noted that cannabinoids could be a promising alternative to antibiotic therapeutics for biofilm-associated infections as they have an inhibitory effect on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Study results of Cannabinoids compared to commercial toothpastes

Future Possibilities

At this time, no dentists are advising patients to toss out their fluoride toothpaste in exchange for a fresh “bud”; however, further research and confirmation of the results will without a doubt lead to product development by some large pharmaceutical corporations. Currently, Colgate has invested in the release of a “hemp seed oil infused toothpaste” advertised as a vegan-based product. Cannabis-based products are nothing new as countless goods have been developed over the past few years including cannabis-scented perfume, cannabis skincare products, cannabis makeup, and countless cannabis-infused sexual health products.

Promising to do everything the competitor brands can do and more, cannabis-based products make a lot of claims, but do they live up to the hype? In most cases, the products adequately meet their desired purpose, but the lake of independent research and validation often leads to more questions on their overall effectiveness. When it comes to cannabis-based toothpaste, it is a logical conclusion that more research will confirm the authors’ findings as it is known quite well that cannabis offers anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties, all of which are of paramount importance when trying to address ones oral health and hygiene.