Marijuana and Dental Health

As of January 1st, 2020, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize the recreational use of marijuana.  While the long-term effects of marijuana consumption is unknown at this time, I have instructed my team at Lovda Family Dental to take the appropriate steps in recognizing and understanding the known effects on an individual's oral health, as well as overall well-being.  I would like to share some information below that I feel will help our patients and local community of what I will be looking for when I perform various dental procedures and check-ups.

First, marijuana is most commonly consumed via smoking.  Smoking, whatever the substance may be, is very detrimental to the oral mucosa and salivary flow within the oral cavity.  Inhaling marijuana smoke results in high intraoral temperatures that can lead to damage on the cellular and molecular level.  Similar to tobacco, these changes can result in the abnormal tissue growth and cause delayed healing to an injured area of the mouth due to a lack of subsequent blood-flow.  For example, a patient undergoing a tooth extraction may experience a "dry socket" and/or an infection.

Secondly, the strength of marijuana is very hard to standardize.  According to the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, marijuana can be up to 30x stronger than just 20 years ago, and the degree of potency can vary between cultivators.  As a healthcare practitioner, this concerns me deeply in regards to informed consent, which I require before various dental procedures.  It is important that my patients understand the benefits and potential complications when I ask for their consent to start a procedure.  Therefore, if I feel a patient who is under the influence of marijuana cannot fully understand a procedure that is about to be performed, I will ask that the appointment be re-scheduled out of concern for patient safety.

To all my patients, both current and future, please don't hesitate to ask myself or my team at Lovda Family Dental at our Hoffman Estates, IL location any questions you may have regarding marijuana and its effect on dentistry.

Sincerely,

Dr Lovda Jr