No, this blog is not about our wonderful dairy industry or one of The Netherlands’ main export products, but rather, refers to a recent bit of cannabis research carried out in Belgium on our pearly whites. Well, actually, not exactly cannabis and not exactly on our teeth. The research was a comparison of the efficacy of certain cannabinoids (CBD, CBC, CBN, CBG, and CBGA) and some common oral care products (such as Oral B and Colgate) in reducing the bacterial content of dental plaque. And as we know, these cannabinoids are found in cannabis and dental plaque sits on our teeth, so ….

 

Anyway, according to the researchers (V. Stahl and K. Vasudevan), their study (Cannabinoids versus Commercial Oral Care Products in Reducing Bacterial Content from Dental Plaque: A Preliminary Observation) is, “the first of its kind conducted to compare the efficacy of well-established commercial oral care products and cannabinoids in reducing the bacterial content of the dental plaque.”

And, “Dental plaque is a structurally organized biofilm containing millions of bacteria and is responsible for several oral diseases such as gingivitis, periodontitis, and dental caries.” 

 

Hmm, this could be important if we are interested in maximizing our efforts to keep our teeth and gums healthy. And we Americans certainly like a nice, toothy smile.

 

The researchers took plaque from 60 adults aged 18 to 45 years old and spread it on Petri dishes with different sections containing the various cannabinoids and toothpastes. Everything was sealed, incubated for 24 hours, and then the number of bacterial colonies were counted. And, guess what? Each of the sections with cannabinoids had a smaller colony count than sections with the common commercial toothpastes.

 

Wow! I wonder what big toothpaste companies think of that? I bet it won’t be long before we see advertisements for CBD toothpaste on TV and online. The hemp bandwagon just got more crowded.

 

So, my devoted fans, when consuming cannabis and feeling good, and you’re ready for your next selfie, don’t forget to say, “Cheese!”

 

Peace,

Dr. B.