Mention cannabidiol (CBD) and you likely think of its anxiety-reducing benefits, anti-inflammatory properties, and total body wellness attributes. But there’s another area of the CBD industry that’s growing in popularity: CBD for dental use.

CBD is the compound found in cannabis plants that do not produce ‘highs’ like its cousin tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Instead, CBD works with the body’s natural endocannabinoid system (ECS)—a network of receptors responsible for regulating processes such as sleep, appetite, pain, immune response, memory, mood, and stress response—and is considered to have immense medicinal value.

CBD's health benefits are delivered by bonding to the body's endocannabinoid receptors that are found in the brain, nervous, and immune systems. This means a major impact on your oral and overall health when it’s included in your daily routine.

What Is Cannabidiol (CBD)?

With the rise of natural, plant-based, and more gentle medications, CBD has become more prevalent. But along with the prevalence comes confusion, hence the critical need for CBD education.

CBD is one of the most common cannabinoids found in cannabis and hemp, and it is a non-toxic, water-soluble, natural chemical compound with a wide range of applications. As it relates to cannabis and industrial hemp, CBD is known for its strong antioxidant effects. So, then, what does that have to do with anything dental? Quite a lot.

Unlike THC, CBD is not psychoactive, meaning it does not get you high. Because of this important distinction, CBD has been gaining popularity as more studies show its many health benefits. Given that marijuana can be used to treat a wide range of medical conditions, it should come as no surprise that CBD is carving a growing niche in dentistry and oral health care.

This makes CBD an effective option to relieve dental discomfort. From a legal perspective, though, it’s important to understand that hemp-derived cannabinoids with no more than 0.3% THC are considered safe and legal. And even though hemp-derived cannabidiol and marijuana-derived cannabidiol are the same molecules, hemp is legal in all 50 states, while marijuana-derived CBD is not.

When deciding to incorporate CBD application into your dental practice, it’s imperative to source medical-grade CBD. This ensures that the CBD being administered is of high quality. CBD as a supplement specifically is not widely regulated. This means that the potency of CBD can be higher or lower than you’d expect. This could result in applications that are too strong or not strong enough. Sourcing medical lab-grade CBD means no contaminants and ensures you receive a product with integrity.

Cannabidiol Use Via TRC Cream

The application of TRC cream is relatively straightforward: massage a small amount of transdermal CBD cream onto the area of discomfort, which typically involves the body of the masseter muscle. This means fewer side effects and discomfort relief can be felt in as little as 10-15 minutes. This is much quicker than traditional methods. When discussing CBD education with patients and practitioners, faster relief times are important aspects to point out.

Additional, but positive CBD side effects include improved sleep and less anxiety, all of which help facilitate the recovery process after a dental procedure. For patients that experience anxiety or apprehension before dental procedures, CBD applications in cream or oil form may be worth considering to create calm.

If you are expecting, let your doctor know before using the application of CBD oil for relieving dental discomfort. For practitioners, this is an important point to disclose as part of CBD education. “We don’t know the effect of CBD on the developing fetus or breastfed newborn,” cautions the FDA. The jury's also still out as to whether long-term continued use of CBD has a negative impact on male fertility.

CBD Education

The Body’s Interaction With CBD Must be Considered Part of CBD Education

Cannabidiol interacts with the body via the ECS. According to Harvard Health, “The CB2 receptors exist mostly in our immune tissue and is critical to helping control our immune functioning, and it plays role in modulating inflammation.” Less inflammation means less discomfort. Since CB2 receptors are targeted instead of CB1, you get relief from dental discomfort without the concerns of a medicinal high.

The effectiveness of cannabidiol applications should be highlighted as part of CBD education. Forbes Health reports: “When applied topically, CBD interacts with neuroreceptors in your endocannabinoid systems which send signals between your cells to help regulate your movement, mood, homeostasis, and immune system.”

Patients and practitioners looking for a more gentle option to relieve dental discomfort may want to consider the application of topical cream. “Topical CBD is more localized and treats [discomfort] in a certain area. Since it is more direct, it may have a more pronounced effect.”

As with any discomfort relieving medication, there are side effects. CBD education is critical to helping both patients and practitioners understand the uses, side effects, benefits, and applications.

Enjoy the Benefits of CBD With TRC

Sterngold Dental provides medical-grade CBD for the dental community in the form of Transdermal Relief Cream (TRC). Developed by dentists for dentists, TRC is a safe and holistic alternative to manage TMJ and neck pain associated with:

  • Jaw joint soreness
  • Extraction and other dental work
  • Post-operative surgical relief after implant placement
  • Long open mouth procedures
  • Soreness or initial pain from wearing of dental appliances (mouth guard, braces)

Sterngold’s medical-grade strength, 2.5% CBD TRC provides targeted relief that works in minutes and lasts for hours. Patients can get this cream as part of a procedure or by prescription for procedure aftercare and recovery.

Long-Lasting Therapeutic Effects Without Psychoactive Side-Effects

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are a group of conditions that cause pain and dysfunction in the joints and muscles that control jaw movement. There are three major categories of TMJ disorders: myofascial pain, internal derangement, and degenerative disorders.

Myofascial centers on the muscles that control jaw movement. Internal derangement of the joint means misalignment in some parts of the jaw, including a displaced disc, dislocated jaw, or injured condyle (a protuberance in a bone that helps connect it to another). Degenerative joint or bone disorders can affect the TMJ, such as arthritis. All three of these major categories have been tested with cannabidiol applications or TRC cream with high effectiveness.

Researchers in Poland have discovered that patients with TMJ disorders reported less muscle tension and reduced discomfort after applying topically-prepared CBD to the affected areas. Patients that applied this CBD dental pain treatment reported a 70% reduction in jaw discomfort. In contrast, a control group that used a placebo reported only 10% pain reduction.

Research further shows that transdermal CBD has the potency to combat pain and reduce inflammation through pro-neurogenic effects and by diminishing pro-inflammatory cytokines (small secreted proteins released by cells). Researchers have noted that reducing joint inflammation is an important reason to use medical-grade, dentist-approved CBD for TMJ discomfort. In a video testimonial, a patient shared that she normally gets 2-5 hours of relief, sometimes all day relief using this CBD oil-based TRC, and that she highly recommends the treatment to other patients.

Do you have anxious patients before procedures? Would any of them be open to a more natural and gentle sedation alternative? Several dental practices have used applications of CBD oil extract in order to help reduce patient anxiety. Many patients who have used CBD during or after the procedure have expressed less or no need for opioids, Tylenol, or ibuprofen to remedy post-procedure dental discomfort and swelling due to inflammation.

Periodontal treatments like scaling and root planning can create a lot of inflammation. Some clinical studies have shown that CBD “may also be useful for relieving inflammation caused by gum disease and controlling inflammation after periodontal treatments like deep cleanings (scaling and root planning).”

CBD Dental Discomfort

Relief From Dental Discomfort During Procedures

Installing small diameter implants is a common yet painful procedure. Many practitioners prescribe traditional dental discomfort relief options. These typically include heavy sedation or strong after-care prescriptions.

“Adding in the use of CBD to my dental practice has been a complete game-changer. As an adjunct or sometimes stand-alone treatment, it offers tremendous benefits with no unwanted side effects. It is one of the missing links to overall patient care.” – Kathleen Carson, DDS.

Instead of relying solely on opioids for pain relief, CBD-based remedies are gentle, natural, and less invasive. This can help lower pre-procedure patient anxieties as well as treat post-procedure pain.

Upgrade Your Knowledge With CBD Education

By continuously exhibiting their powerful pain-relieving properties, cannabinoids are rapidly shedding any negative connotations and reinforcing their enormous promise as an alternative and holistic treatment option to oral analgesics, opioids, and steroids.

While there are tremendous opportunities to grow, CBD education will definitely be key to your success. How does CBD work? Is CBD legal? What are the benefits of CBD? When and where can I use it? CBD is an evolving industry and continuing your CBD education has benefits for both patients and practitioners. The more knowledgeable a dental professional is about cannabinoids, the better the patient experience will be with this new treatment method. Informed patients will feel safe while dental practitioners will gain added confidence in industry knowledge and patient care.

A global player with a rich and celebrated history in the dental community, Sterngold Dental regularly offers continuing education courses by opinion leaders and other expert dental professionals (live or on-demand) to help practice and dental lab owners stay ahead of rapidly evolving developments in the dental industry.

Whether it's attachments, implants, provisional or impression materials, and other restorative products, at Sterngold Dental, affordable dental access that leads to enhanced quality of life is our driving force. We do this by pursuing excellence and leveraging the synergistic power of our extensive product lines, dynamic partnerships, and unparalleled technical expertise.

Get in touch with the Sterngold team today and let us help you bring dental discomfort relief and confident smiles to your patients through reliable, quality, and affordable dental products.