Source: Nature.com

Questions: What is the effect of cannabis usage on the oral environment?

Data sources
Medline and the Cochrane Central register of controlled trails (CENTRAL).

Study selection
Randomised Controlled Trials, Controlled Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies conducted on humans investigating cannabis usage were included. Screening was performed independently by two reviewers. Only English language studies were included. Case reports, letters and historical reviews were excluded.

Data extraction and synthesis
A narrative synthesis was conducted.

Results
Seven studies were included and a range of cannabis-associated oral side effects identified.

Conclusions
Based on the limited data, it seems justified to conclude that with increasing prevalence of cannabis use, oral health care providers should be aware of cannabis-associated oral side effects such as xerostomia, leukoedema and an increased prevalence and density of Candida albicans.

This news story was resourced by the Oral Cancer Foundation, and vetted for appropriateness and accuracy.