Heavy cannabis use 'damages gums'

[HighRising]

Heavy cannabis use 'damages gums'

 

Heavy cannabis smoking is a major cause of gum disease, research suggests.

 

An international team tracked the dental health of 1,000 people born in Dunedin, New Zealand, in 1972 and 1973.

 

They found heavy cannabis smoking was responsible for more than one-third of the new cases of gum disease among the group by the age of 32.

 

The Journal of the American Medical Association study follows work linking cannabis use to mental health problems, and lung disease.

 

Gum disease, one of the most common diseases of adulthood, is the second most common cause of tooth loss, after tooth decay.

 

It has long been linked to cigarette smoking, but this is the first study to look specifically at cannabis.

 

The researchers accepted that cannabis users also tended to smoke tobacco.

 

However, they said that even after allowing for this, heavy cannabis smokers had three times the risk of having established gum disease by the age of 32.

 

Even cannabis users who did not smoke tobacco developed gum disease.

 

Overall, 29% of the sample showed some signs of gum disease.

 

Bloodstream toxins

 

Lead researcher Professor Murray Thomson, of the University of Otago, said the effect was unlikely to be due to the direct impact of smoke on the gums as it was inhaled.

 

Instead, it was likely that toxins in the cannabis were absorbed into the bloodstream via the lungs, and then affected the body's ability to heal inflammation in the gums caused by the build up of bacteria on the teeth.

 

He said: "The problem is not the smoke itself - it's what is in the smoke.

 

"In the mouth, there is a fine balance between tissue destruction and tissue healing and the various toxins in the smoke disrupt that."

 

The fact that cannabis users tend to inhale more deeply than tobacco users might also exacerbate problems.

 

For the study heavy cannabis users were defined as those who used the drug for an average of at least 41 occasions a year between the ages of 18 and 32.

 

Susie Sanderson, of the British Dental Association, said: "It has long been recognised that smoking tobacco is a cause of gum disease.

 

"This study underlines the fact that gum disease can be caused not only by smoking tobacco, but also by smoking cannabis."

 

The research team also included scientists from King's College London, Duke University and the University of North Carolina.

 

Research published earlier this year found people who smoked one cannabis joint a day had a higher risk of lung cancer than those who smoked 20 cigarettes a day.

 

A separate study found that bullous disease - a form of emphysema - occurs 20 years earlier in cannabis smokers than in tobacco smokers.

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7226969.stm

 

What a bunch of shit!

[mullray]

These guys did the same study (it is from the same study group) that linked schizophrenia to cannabis use. This shit is getting farcical and this one reminds me of the twats that found that cannabis use could be linked to weight gain. The tax payer forked out 20K for the fat study.... they could have asked any stoner to arrive at the same answer.... Anyone for a Mars Bar?

 

They should put a warning label on every bag with a picture of rotting teeth and gums

Edited February 6, 2008 by mullray

[LoveMeBucket]

hahaha wonder if the munchies has anything to do with it??

[67Special]

or stoners forgetting to brush their teeth

 

[mullray]

hahaha wonder if the munchies has anything to do with it??

 

!!! Dem Maaaas Baaaaaa's!!!! Hey I hadn't thought of that!!

[mull]

Heavy cannabis use 'damages gums'

 

For the study heavy cannabis users were defined as those who used the drug for an average of at least 41 occasions a year between the ages of 18 and 32.

 

That's not a heavy cannabis user, less than once a week... how about 41 cones a day? Or people who consume at least an oz a day in food? hmm

 

Since that point has been exaggerated, perhaps the findings have been as well.

Perhaps 29% of people are simply prone to gum disease, thro genetics, diet, and not brushing, like 67S said.

 

Some of these study findings are getting a little bit airy, even for grants and to continue prohibition.

 

What's next? Cannabis leads to long toe nails? Toe stubbing incidents on the rise..

[Indycar]

Shit, gum disease this time.

 

At this rate, cannabis will probably be the leading cause of haemorhoids in no time...

 

[mullray]

I don't get what all the fuss is about. Smoking damages gums (check out the cig packets) and if you ask any dentist they will tell you they've known for decades that pot is bad for gums. Big deal....

 

I think the problem lies with the media and how they amp this shit up while leaving out massive amounts of other facts that highlight that tobacco and alcohol are listed as far more dangerous by the same academics - often in the very same research papers.

[Al B. Fuct]

See this Hansard transcript, page FHS30:

 

[DR REECE] The lower slide shows that cannabis causes osteoporosis, although that was a mouse study—but it was carefully done.

 

Dr Reece is a fully batshit malcontent who thinks harm minimisation is a really bad thing; only zero-tolerance is a viable strategy. Reece infers that an increase in condom use actually increases the rate of HIV infection (page 26-). Stunning. Absolutely amazing what educated people will try to pass off as knowledge.

[Reverend]

I have the toe stubbing down pat, broken toe and six stitch underneath on middle toe, and yes it bloody hurt.

Gills