According to a new study published in the journal Cureus, cannabinoids possess more potent anti-bacterial activity than commercially marketed oral care products in the treatment of dental plaque. The study is titled Comparison of efficacy of cannabinoids versus commercial oral care products in reducing bacterial content from dental plaque: A preliminary observation.

For the study researchers compared the efficacy of oral care products and cannabinoids (cannabidiol, cannabichromene, cannabinol, and cannabigerol) in reducing the bacterial content of dental plaques. Plaque samples were collected from human subjects and incubated in a petri dish.

The study states that: “By evaluating the colony count of the dental bacteria isolated from six groups, it was found that cannabinoids were more effective in reducing the bacterial colony count in dental plaques as compared to the well-established synthetic oral care products such as Oral B and Colgate.”

The study concludes by stating that: “Although commercially available oral care products are considerably effective in maintaining the oral hygiene of the average population, our study found that cannabinoids are substantially effective in reducing the colony count of the bacterial strains of the dental plaque as compared to the well-established synthetic oral care products such as Oral B and Colgate. … We believe that our study opens up the possibilities of developing personalized next-generation oral care products based on cannabinoids.”

As noted by NORML, prior preclinical studies have previously demonstrated cannabinoids to possess potent anti-bacterial properties, particularly against MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphyloccus aureus) and malaria.

The study’s full abstract can be found below:

Background Dental plaque is a complex biofilm that gets formed on the teeth and acts as a reservoir of different microbes. It is the root cause for the occurrence of several dental problems and diseases, including cavities, bad breath, bleeding gums, tooth decay, and tooth loss. Therefore, it should be regularly removed using suitable oral care aids. Objectives The present study compared the efficacy of oral care products and cannabinoids in reducing the bacterial content of dental plaques. Methods Sixty adults aged 18 to 45 years were categorized into six groups based on the Dutch periodontal screening index. Dental plaques of the adults were collected using paro-toothpick sticks and spread on two Petri dishes, each with four divisions. On Petri dish-A, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabinol (CBN), and cannabigerol (CBG) were used, and on Petri dish-B, cannabigerolic acid (CBGA), Oral B, Colgate, and Cannabite F (a toothpaste formulation of pomegranate and algae) were used. The Petri dishes were sealed and incubated, followed by counting the number of colonies. Results By evaluating the colony count of the dental bacteria isolated from six groups, it was found that cannabinoids were more effective in reducing the bacterial colony count in dental plaques as compared to the well-established synthetic oral care products such as Oral B and Colgate. Conclusion Cannabinoids have the potential to be used as an effective antibacterial agent against dental plaque-associated bacteria. Moreover, it provides a safer alternative for synthetic antibiotics to reduce the development of drug .