Science & Health
Integrating Medical Cannabis Into Dentistry Can Boost Patient Quality Of Life During Treatments, Study Finds
Medical marijuana has “promising therapeutic potential” in dentistry—including for treating conditions like orofacial pain, refractory periodontal diseases and burning mouth syndrome—according to a new scientific review.
“Integrating cannabinoids into dental practice represents a significant path toward improving clinical outcomes and enhancing patients’ quality of life during treatments,” the paper, written by Brazilian researchers with the Health Department of the Federal District, School of Public Health of the Federal District and Higher Education Institute of Brasília, said.
The review, which involved an analysis of 59 previously published studies, generally found “theoretical and scientific support on the potential therapeutic uses of medicinal cannabis in dentistry.”
One study that the authors looked at concluded that cannabinoids have a “have a therapeutic effect in reducing pain perception,” especially for trigeminal neuralgia, persistent idiopathic facial pain, burning mouth syndrome and post-herpetic neuralgia.
“Orofacial pain,” the new review said, “is among the most common conditions in dental care, and the use of cannabis appears to be an important ally in treating these discomforts, potentially enhancing the action of medications already used in these treatments or even replacing them.”
The paper, published in Fitos Journal, noted that endocannabinoid receptors have been “identified throughout the oral cavity, including the oral mucosa, dental pulp, periodontal tissues, salivary glands, and temporomandibular joints.” Activating those receptors could provided targeted pain relief and reduction of inflammation, as well as antimicrobial effects, the authors said.
“Cannabis has promising therapeutic potential in dentistry, with its main applications in the management of orofacial pain, periodontics, burning mouth syndrome, bruxism, management of oral mucositis, among others.”
The researchers cautioned that while studies to date are “promising” when it comes to cannabis’s medical effects in dentistry and that it is “considered a safe therapy,” there is a need for randomized controlled trials to “more robustly confirm its efficacy and safety.”
They also noted that in Brazil and elsewhere, there is a “lack of adequate regulation” of medical marijuana that “can lead to inequalities in access to treatment, favoring only those who can afford expensive products.” An additional problem is the “lack of standardization in cannabis use and dosing, given the absence of protocols due to the individuality of each person’s endocannabinoid system,” they said.
“These factors alongside the need for more robust clinical studies and the high cost of cannabis-derived medications represent challenges that must be overcome to ensure broader and equitable access to this form of therapy,” the paper concluded.
“Medicinal cannabis may be effective in relieving orofacial pain, reducing gingival inflammation, and treating hard-to-manage conditions such as temporomandibular disorders, among others.”
The new review adds to prior research demonstrating cannabis’s potential to aid oral health.
A study published last year mouthwash containing cannabidiol (CBD) and another botanical extract maintained “homeostasis of the oral microbiome, thereby reducing the levels of bacteria that can affect periodontal health.”
Prior research showed that mouthwash with CBD and CBG has “promising bactericidal activity in vitro against total-culturable aerobic bacterial content in dental plaque.”
A 2023 paper concluded that “a single dose of CBD is as potent as current analgesic regimens and can manage emergency dental pain effectively.”
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