Comparison of Efficacy of Cannabinoids versus Commercial Oral Care Products in Reducing Bacterial Content from Dental Plaque: A Preliminary Observation.

Image result for cureus journal“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.

The present study compared the efficacy of oral care products and cannabinoids in reducing the bacterial content of dental plaques.

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 resistance.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/32038896

“To the best of our knowledge, no such study has been published that compares the efficiency of cannabinoids with that of oral care products against dental bacteria. Our study is the first of its kind conducted to compare the efficacy of well-established commercial oral care products and cannabinoids in reducing the bacterial content of the dental plaque. Reducing the bacterial content could significantly decrease and prevent gum diseases that have become a huge global burden owing to their direct relation with systemic diseases. Here we report a preliminary observatory study on effect of cannabinoids on reducing the bacterial content of dental plaque.”

https://www.cureus.com/articles/25300-comparison-of-efficacy-of-cannabinoids-versus-commercial-oral-care-products-in-reducing-bacterial-content-from-dental-plaque-a-preliminary-observation

CB1 enhanced the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation ability of periodontal ligament stem cells via p38 MAPK and JNK in an inflammatory environment.

Publication cover image

“Periodontitis is an inflammatory immune disease that causes periodontal tissue loss. Inflammatory immunity and bone metabolism are closely related to periodontitis.

The cannabinoid receptor I (CB1) is an important constituent of the endocannabinoid system and participates in bone metabolism and inflammation tissue healing.

It is unclear whether CB1 affects the mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) function involved in periodontal tissue regeneration.

In this study, we revealed the role and mechanism of CB1 in the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation of periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) in an inflammatory environment.

CONCLUSIONS:

CB1 was able to enhance the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation ability of PDLSCs via p38 MAPK and JNK signalling in an inflammatory environment, which might be a potential target for periodontitis treatment.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31599069

“In conclusion, our findings revealed that CB1 could activate the osteo/dentinogenic differentiation potential of PDLSCs under inflammatory conditions. Our results clarified the potential role and mechanism of CB1 in PDLSCs under inflammatory conditions and provide candidate targets for enhancing MSC function and the treatment of periodontitis.”

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/cpr.12691

Activation of Cannabinoid Receptors Promote Periodontal Cell Adhesion and Migration.

Journal of Clinical Periodontology banner“Medical and recreational cannabis use is increasing significantly, but its impacts on oral health remains unclear.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major active component in cannabis, on periodontal fibroblast cell adhesion and migration to explore its role in periodontal regeneration and wound healing.

RESULTS:

Both CB1 and CB2 were expressed in periodontal tissues but with different expression patterns. THC promoted periodontal cell wound healing by inducing HPLF cell adhesion and migration. This was mediated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activation and its modulation of MAPK activities. The effect of cannabinoids on periodontal fibroblast cell adhesion and migration were mainly dependent on the CB2.

CONCLUSION:

These results suggested that cannabinoids may contribute to developing new therapeutics for periodontal regeneration and wound healing.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31461164

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jcpe.13190

Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) expression in rat dental pulp

Oral Science International“Accumulating evidence supports the role of the cannabinoid system in providing an antinociceptive effect in various painful conditions.

This effect is mediated through the Cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) expressed on nociceptive afferent nerve terminals.

To investigate whether this receptor plays a similar role in dental pain, we studied the presence and distribution of CB1R in rat dental pulp.

CB1R was present on nerve fibers in rat dental pulp and possibly plays a role in dental pain mechanisms.

Interestingly, CB1R has recently been demonstrated in human dental pulp.

This strongly suggests that CB1R could be a therapeutic target for dental pain management.”

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1348864312000031

Cannabinoid receptor CB1-immunoreactive nerve fibres in painful and non-painful human tooth pulp.

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience Home“The cannabinoid receptor CB1 is involved in modulation of neuronal hypersensitivity and pain. The aim of this study was to evaluate CB1 receptor levels for the first time in dental pain. A total of 19 patients due for molar extraction were divided into two groups, those with existing dental pain (n=9), and those with no history of pain (n=10). Immunohistochemistry and computer image analysis was used to evaluate CB1-positive nerve fibres in tooth pulp, with neurofilament-immunostaining as a structural nerve marker. CB1-immunoreactive nerve fibres were scattered throughout the tooth pulp and often seen in nerve bundles, but the fibres did not penetrate the subodontoblastic layer. There was no statistically significant change in the CB1 nerve fibre percentage area in the painful group compared to the non-painful group (p=0.146); the neurofilament fibres were significantly reduced in the painful group compared to the controls (p=0.028), but there was no difference in the ratio of CB1 to neurofilaments between the two groups. Thus, CB1 expression is maintained by nerve fibres in painful human dental pulp, and peripherally-restricted CB1 agonists currently in development may advance the treatment of dental pain.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20705472

https://www.jocn-journal.com/article/S0967-5868(10)00289-4/fulltext

Treatment of Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells with MOR and CBD Promotes Cell Survival and Neuronal Differentiation via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway.

ijms-logo “Periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLSCs), as well as all mesenchymal stem cells, show self-renewal, clonogenicity, and multi-tissue differentiation proprieties and can represent a valid support for regenerative medicine. We treated hPDLSCs with a combination of Moringin (MOR) and Cannabidiol (CBD), in order to understand if treatment could improve their survival and their in vitro differentiation capacity. Stem cells survival is fundamental to achieve a successful therapy outcome in the re-implanted tissue of patients. Through NGS transcriptome analysis, we found that combined treatment increased hPDLSCs survival, by inhibition of apoptosis as demonstrated by enhanced expression of anti-apoptotic genes and reduction of pro-apoptotic ones. Moreover, we investigated the possible involvement of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, emphasizing a differential gene expression between treated and untreated cells. Furthermore, hPDLSCs were cultured for 48 h in the presence or absence of CBD and MOR and, after confirming the cellular viability through MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide) assay, we examined the presence of neuronal markers, through immunofluorescence analysis. We found an increased expression of Nestin and GAP43 (growth associated protein 43) in treated cells. In conclusion, hPDLSCs treated with Moringin and Cannabidiol showed an improved survival capacity and neuronal differentiation potential.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30096889 http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/19/8/2341
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