THE risk of gum disease may be increased with persistent marijuana use, a new study published in JAMA Psychiatry suggests. The New Zealand study found that regular cannabis users were three times more likely to have significant bone loss around their teeth than non-smokers of cannabis.
Compared with participants who did not use marijuana, the researchers found persistent marijuana use for up to 20 years was associated with greater risk of gum disease at the age of 38. About 7 per cent of the population in Northern Ireland smoke marijuana.
Gum disease is a bacterial infection that erodes the gum and bone that supports teeth. The irritated gums can swell up, bleed and turn purple; if left untreated, teeth literally fall out. Gum disease is extremely common and surprisingly it is gum disease, not tooth decay, that's the biggest cause of tooth loss.
Cannabis contains tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) – it is this psychoactive chemical that is responsible for the 'high'.
In addition to the lowered immune system and chemical poisons produced by the THC that linger in the mouth, marijuana users undergo behavioural changes that lead to poor hygiene. They lack energy and lose interest in everyday activities that were once important, such as brushing, flossing, and rinsing.
Most people turn to sweet junk foods to stave off marijuana's side effects of dry mouth and hunger. This increases the sugary environment in the mouth, giving the bacteria a picnic to feed on, and allows them to multiply. It’s these behavioural changes coupled with the dry cotton mouth that occurs when someone smokes marijuana that creates problems for the teeth and gums.
Smoking in itself also increases bacterial plaque while reducing the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the gums and generates 'free radicals' which delay the healing process, thus making the gums more susceptible to infection. Research shows that smoking cigarettes causes 50 per cent of all gum-disease cases.
Like all of our body, the gums are in a continual tug of war between destruction and repair. Smoking tips the balance toward destruction, so if you don't smoke the balance is tipped back toward repair and you are more likely to keep your teeth.
