Is Pot Ruining Your Teeth?

Opinions vary on the legality of marijuana, but one thing is for sure: if you're not careful with marijuana consumption, it may harm your teeth. It's important to know how it does this so that you can protect yourself from its effects. Read this guide to find out how marijuana could impact your oral health.

Edibles

Taking marijuana in an edible form is fairly common among people who imbibe marijuana. Unfortunately, these edibles can lead you to developing more cavities.

Marijuana edibles are typically made of ingredients containing both high levels of sugar and high levels of carbohydrates. Eating this kind of food can lead to a significant amount of plaque developing on your teeth, as the bacteria responsible for producing plaque thrive on sugar and carbs.

In addition, the munchies that follow consuming marijuana may lead to you eating more foods than usual, or you may make unhealthy choices. This could also expose your teeth to more sugar and carbs.

Smoking Problems

Smoking marijuana can lead to all the same dental problems that cigarette smokers experience.

You're likely to develop stained teeth and gum disease. The discoloration that develops from smoking can be improved by having your teeth whitened. On the other hand, gum disease is something that you'll need a dentist to help you with. If you currently smoke, you should consider visiting a dentist more often for check-ups and cleanings to ensure that you're not hurting yourself.

Dry Mouth

Lastly, one common side effect of consuming pot is dry mouth. This symptom can actually be rather devastating to your oral health.

Sticky plaque thrives in dry mouths. Sticky plaque is what it sounds like: thicker than normal plaque that develops not only on the teeth, but also the inside of the mouth, cheeks, and tongue. It's very difficult to get off and thus can do a lot of damage to your teeth.

In addition, some kinds of bacteria thrive in dry environments, which can increase your risk of gum disease or tooth decay. In any case, if you sense that dry mouth is coming on, you should immediately reach for a drink. The sooner your mouth is hydrated, the less likely you are to experience negative effects

There are some potential problems with using marijuana for your oral health. If you intend to keep using, stay hydrated, drink fluids regularly, brush your teeth regularly, and avoid smoking. Contact a clinic, like Hayden  Dental,  for more help.