On the 19th of June this year, the Canadian Senate approved the Bill C-45, which decriminalizes marijuana and approves a controlled sale of recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana was, however, already legal in Canada, the bill makes access to marijuana easier for non-medical users. The popularity of marijuana has kept on growing internationally in the last 5 years and so have the users. The medicinal uses of marijuana have been a hot topic in the healthcare industry in recent years. More tests have been conducted on the herb and the supposed claims of curing mental and physical ailments that keep coming up. Yet, the use of this substance and abuse of the same are two different aspects. Marijuana might have a cure for your epilepsy but it could create dental health issues for regular users.

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Effects of Marijuana on Your Tooth Enamel

Smoking any substance, be it marijuana or tobacco, Stains the teeth and turns them yellow . The residue left on the teeth by marijuana smoke, stains the teeth and can erodes the enamel. Once the enamel is destroyed the, exposed dentin,gradually cause tooth sensitivity. The erosion of the enamel exposes the tooth structure to decay.

Causes Dry Mouth

The flow of saliva in the mouth is very necessary as it keeps the mouth hydrated and hygienic. Most of the marijuana users have a poor dental hygiene due to regular use, which causes long periods of dehydration. Cottonmouth is a recognized effect of smoking marijuana. Cottonmouth is the drying up of the mouth and its salivary ducts. Prolonged periods of dehydration lead to inflammation of soft tissues in the mouth like lips, cheeks, tongue, and gums. This creates sores or lesions on the internal cheek and tongue and also cause gum diseases.

Causes Gingivitis

Due to improper hygiene maintenance by cannabis users, the accumulation of plaque affects the gums and its surrounding areas. This leads to swollen gums and gum recession, which ultimately leads to gingivitis.People who smoke tobacco or cannabis or use smokeless tobacco (also known as spit tobacco,snuff, and chewing tobacco) experience significant oral health problems, including periodontal diseases or life-threatening oral cancers

Causes Bad Breath

As mentioned earlier, smoking marijuana leads to dry mouth.So the food particles that get stuck in the inter-dental spaces do not wash away due to lack to saliva. As a result, these food particles can cause caries and eventually lead to bad breath or halitosis. 

Based on current evidence,If you’re a regular marijuana user, then you may want to reconsider measures that promote cessation and reduce the harm caused by using these substances. And if you are facing any of the above-mentioned dental problems, then make sure you visit Signature Smilez dental clinic for treatment and proper maintenance of your oral health.