With weed’s growing acceptance and legal status, many people are exploring its various effects, both positive and negative. However, one area that’s often overlooked is how cannabis use can impact your oral health.
From the notorious ‘cottonmouth’ to insatiable munchies, regular use of this herb may come with some unexpected risks to your pearly whites and your gums.
In this article, we’ll delve into the ways cannabis use can adversely affect your dental well-being, from increased cavities to accelerating gum disease, and what you can do to minimize these risks.
Whether you’re a casual user or a long-time enthusiast, you’ll want to keep reading to ensure that your smile remains as bright as your future.
If you’re intrigued by the ways cannabis interacts with the human body, you’ll find our additional articles particularly enlightening. They offer in-depth explorations into various aspects of this topic, providing you with a well-rounded understanding:
- What is Cotton Mouth and Why Does It Happen?
- What exactly is the magic of entourage effect?
- What are your cannabinoid receptors?
How Smoking Weed Affects Your Oral health?
A multitude of factors conspire to create a perfect storm of dental woes for those who frequently use cannabis. The notorious ‘cottonmouth’ effect—a parched feeling as if your mouth had turned into the Sahara Desert—isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s a gateway to dental deterioration.
Saliva, nature’s built-in mouthwash, helps to sweep away leftover food and lurking bacteria, maintaining the fortress walls of your oral health. Without it, you’re rolling out a welcome mat for unwanted guests like tooth decay, halitosis that could knock someone off their feet, and painful sores that stake their claim on your gums, tongue, and even the roof of your mouth.
Moreover, the heat wave that comes from inhaling weed smoke is like a scorching summer’s day for the delicate tissues in your mouth, weakening their natural defenses.
This compromised state makes it easier for harmful chemicals in the smoke to penetrate these tissues, almost like ink seeping into blotting paper.
Once these toxic elements set up shop in your mouth, they can linger like unwanted guests, contributing to conditions as unnerving as a swelling, wince-inducing toothache or as serious as periodontal disease that could make your gums retreat faster than a tide.
Read more in that research.
The Dental Risks of Cannabis-Induced Munchies
Using weed can make you really hungry, especially for foods high in carbohydrates like fries and pizza. This isn’t just a random craving; specific cells in your brain switch roles and make you feel like you have to eat carbs.
Plus, marijuana turns off the part of your brain that tells you you’re full. So, even if you’ve just had a meal, you might find yourself wanting to eat more.
The problem is that eating lots of carbs and sugary foods is bad for your teeth. Sugar sticks to your teeth and can cause cavities. Foods like pizza, which has acidic tomato sauce, can also wear down the protective layer on your teeth. Here’s a list of foods that are not so great for your dental health:
- Candy
- Soda
- Dried fruit
- Pastries and desserts
- Jams and jellies
- Sweet cereals
- Citrus fruits like lemons
- Pickles
- Foods with tomatoes
- Alcohol
- Coffee
So, the next time you use weed and get the munchies, keep in mind that what you choose to eat could be harmful to your teeth.
Increased Risk Of Gum Disease
In the world of weed enthusiasts, an alarming trend is catching the eye of oral health professionals: an early onset of periodontal disease, or gum troubles. Much like in tobacco smokers, the gums become irritated and begin to retreat from the tooth roots.
This creates pockets of space around each tooth and gradually erodes the bone anchoring them, compromising overall oral health.
Often, these early warning signs, such as swelling or bleeding gums, go unnoticed. This phenomenon is eerily similar to what we witness in tobacco users, who also frequently miss these initial symptoms because they can be subtle.
Adding to the issue is the tendency for cannabis users to snack more frequently, sometimes on foods that promote plaque formation. This could further deteriorate oral health if combined with inconsistent or insufficient dental cleaning routines.
What’s more, cannabis has a unique ability to suppress the immune response, potentially making users more susceptible to oral infections like periodontal disease. If you’re indulging in cannabis, paying extra attention to your oral health, particularly your gums, becomes even more crucial.
To begin with, you can try simply reducing the dose of THC. Low potency strains are perfect for this. For example, Lemon Tree strain in Sauce Cartridge. This hybrid strain offers a unique combination of sweet and sour flavors, with a medium THC content that delivers a balanced high.
Or what about Acai Berry Gelato strain? It offers a unique combination of fruity and sweet flavors and delivers a balanced and uplifting high. The APE Cartridges are perfect for those who want a flavorful and unforgettable smoking experience on the go.
If you’re lighting up, remember: your oral health hangs in the balance. The dryness that marijuana brings is an open invitation for cavities and bad breath. Don’t let the siren call of sugary snacks lead you into a dental disaster. And be warned: weed may make your immune system sluggish, upping your risk for gum infections.
Your defense? Choose snacks wisely. Prioritize dental hygiene. Book regular dentist visits. If you’re going to indulge, don’t compromise on your mouth’s well-being. Trust us, your future self will flash you a grateful, and healthier, smile.
