By Deniz Ataman: Curious about the connection between cannabinoids and dental health? Don’t believe one exists? Although one is emerging from the underground of public and legal stigmatization while the other has been a part of our daily hygiene routine since we can remember, when we combine the two together, there’s a massive opportunity for improved health. Cannabigerol (CBG) is changing the way we look at dental care from gum to tooth.
As the precursor for all major (THC, CBD) and minor (CBN) cannabinoids, CBG is concentrated with therapeutic properties ideal for oral health. Its anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory benefits can serve as a valuable active ingredient across the oral care category.
How can CBG help fight gum disease?
To give some background, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 47% of adults over the age of 30 exhibit symptoms of periodontal disease or gum disease caused by tartar build up on the tooth’s surface. And it’s not just our teeth that are affected by gum disease, the same inflammation is thought to affect other parts of the body including the heart and lungs. Gum inflammation can be painful, causing serious discomfort. Only a trip to the dentist can remove tartar to either stop or slow down symptoms of inflammation: swollen gums, a bright red or purple coloration, bleeding or tenderness and malodor.
Though traditional products target gum health, CBG’s multifunctional benefits can prevent or treat periodontal disease. A 2020 study found that CBG prevents quorum sensing (the ability for bacteria to communicate via molecular signaling) and biofilm formation (dental plaque is a biofilm). The implications for dental health are critical here as CBG has potential to inhibit plaque formation that leads to gum disease. Our mouths are a rich petri dish of friendly and unfriendly bacteria that help maintain a balanced microbiome. A natural antimicrobial active, CBG has also been shown to reduce the buildup of harmful bacterial in the mouth more effectively than traditional products on the market.
As many of us know, an early or mild type of gum disease is gingivitis – inflamed gums caused by bacterial build-up. If gingivitis is left untreated, it can lead to a more serious condition called periodontitis which damages the gum tissue to such a point that teeth start to loosen, causing tooth loss and a higher risk of bacterial infection. With its anti-inflammatory properties, CBG has potential to treat mild to severe gum inflammation. A 2017 study found that “CBG has potent analgesic, anti-erythema (anti-inflammatory rash) and lipoxygenase (inflammation) blocking activity,” making it ideal in toothpaste and mouthwash formulations.
Studies also show that cannabinoids like CBG have the potential to reduce antibiotic resistant infections like MRSA, indicating its efficacy towards protecting the gums and teeth against bacterial build up. Research is still evolving and with more resources and studies, we have more to learn about CBG as an effective active for gum disease prevention.
Other possible areas for CBG
The oral care market is a multi-billion dollar industry valued at $31.7 billion driven by gum disease prevention and whitening. A quick search for #dentalcare on Instagram pulls up 1.3 million posts. Users are sharing everything from dentist advice to favorite products. It’s clear innovation is welcomed by consumers.
With an estimated worth of $16.4 billion by 2027, the cannabinoids market continues to grow as a result of legislation, education and research across the United States. As a rare and unique cannabinoid, CBG has significant potential to expand oral care products around the world.
A natural and sustainable biosynthesized CBG is certainly relevant to the health and wellness movement. The natural and sustainable trend remains strong.
Natural, organic and fluoride-free products, as well as alternative toothpastes like tablets are growing in popularity, which are opportunities for cannabinoids like CBG to join ingredient labels.
Currently, we’re seeing toothpastes with hemp oil and CBD as primary ingredients, touting anti-bacterial properties. Cannabis’ narrative, particularly in western culture (now that hemp is legal), is slowly gaining traction as a natural and active ingredient for dental care.
Antimicrobial ingredients are essential in the dental products we use today: toothpaste, floss, mouthwash and dentifrices. The most common active tooth-decay fighting ingredients in toothpaste include:
- fluoride (cavity fighter)
- glycerol (for a smooth paste)
- sorbitol
- calcium carbonate (abrasives)
- sodium lauryl sulfate (adds foam)
- flavoring agents like sorbitol
- or essential oils like mints, cinnamon, anise and tea tree
Dental disease is even more likely in developing countries where communities have limited resources and access to proper dental hygiene. A multifunctional, cultured CBG can offer a cost-effective and stable active for dental products in these regions. It’s important to note that many developing countries lean towards indigenous medicine, and cannabis’ rich history in traditional healthcare can be an opportunity to reach communities who are otherwise wary of Western medicine.
We’re still learning how CBG interacts with some of these ingredients and actives and research is still evolving. If we look at breath fresheners like mouthwash, mouth strips and mints, perhaps CBG can offer active antibacterial benefits when paired with other antimicrobial ingredients like peppermint oil and different extracts of Mentha piperita. These are only ideas; but with what we currently know about CBG boosting the effects of other cannabinoids, can it also do the same for other actives?
Why is biosynthesis used?
After the cannabis plant is fully grown, it’s left with only traces of CBG, making it rare and expensive to produce. Biosynthesis, or precision fermentation, is a natural process that we use at Creo to produce CBG in large quantities without the actual plant.
Since biosynthesis does not require the plant or significant amounts of land for that matter, the resulting cultured ingredients are produced more sustainably. Traditional agriculture requires a substantial amount of land, energy and water; and plant extraction methods such as solvent or CO2 produce minimal yield at a higher cost. Using biotech as an alternative process requires fewer natural resources while yielding a commercial quantity of cultured cannabinoid ingredients.
These cultured ingredients are also bio-identical to nature, meaning that they work in the same manner in the body as their natural counterpart. Even more, biosynthesis produces a 98%+ pure and stable ingredient without additional pollutants and heavy metals that can be absorbed by plants. This results in a fully traceable ingredient as we only have to go as far back as the culture the ingredient was grown in and the limited number of ingredients that went into it.
In the ever-evolving information age, we’re learning more about the strong link between cannabis and wellness. The rise of CBG is creating new buzz about the role this special cannabinoid can play in maintaining proper dental hygiene. With a long history of medicinal use paired with contemporary studies, CBG is paving a way for itself as a multifaceted ingredient with potential to heal gum disease and improve dental hygiene around the world.
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