As more and more countries begin to embrace the medical potential of cannabis, medical researchers are discovering new therapeutic uses of marijuana on a weekly basis. From Europe to the US, a number of dentists are now beginning to explore the ways in which medical cannabis can be a useful supplement to their own profession.
Doctor Veronica Stahl, a dentist based in Mortsel, Belgium, is a firm believer in the dental applications of cannabis. Dr. Stahl, who originally hails from Israel — a world leader in medical marijuana research — is currently working to bring a cannabis-based toothpaste called Cannabite Lifelong to market. Much like standard toothpaste, Cannabite is designed to fight dental plaque and bacteria, but the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis can also help reduce pain associated with toothaches or dental surgery.
Dr. Stahl told the Daily Star that her new toothpaste “can reduce gum disease and pain… Our solutions, built on emerging medical research, relies on the natural extracts of the plant with healing properties and the human body’s endocannabinoid system (where the body can bind to cannabis). With a root canal treatment, for example, the nerve is amputated. But that does not cure the nerve. We want to bring about a revolution in this field because we could maintain and cure the nerve.”
The new toothpaste will be free of THC, in order to comply with medical cannabis laws that prohibit this psychoactive cannabinoid while allowing the use of CBD or other hemp-derived compounds. The doctor explained that the avoidance of THC could also help overcome the negative stigma associated with recreational marijuana use. “It’s absolutely not recreational,” Stahl told the Star. “It’s not just mixing cannabis into a toothpaste.”
Dr. Stahl is hopeful that her new toothpaste will be available throughout Europe within the next few years.
Back in the US, entrepreneurs are already bringing cannabis-infused dental products to market. Axim Biotechnologies currently makes a hemp oil chewing gum containing both CBD and CBG — two cannabinoids with strong antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Axim is also developing its own canna-toothpaste to treat painful and inflamed gums, which it hopes to bring to market by the end of this year.
Other dentists are recommending that patients use cannabis products that are currently available on the market. Florida dentist Dr. Jared Helfant has recently been recommending that his patients take a dose of CBD before showing up to their appointments. Dr. Helfant told MERRY JANE that the anti-inflammatory effects of this newly-legal cannabinoid can help reduce gingivitis, TMJ issues, receding gums, and pain associated with dental procedures. The relaxing properties of CBD can even help patients deal with anxieties brought on by a trip to the dentist.
