How to Get Rid of Weed Stains on Teeth
Can you tell me if teeth whitening can get rid of pot stains? If so would someone use the tray teeth whitening or the Zoom? Asking for a friend….
Dan S.
Dear Dan,
After Teeth Whitening
Here's what you can tell your friend…
You can imagine there haven't been any clinical studies done on this to date. Not only is a brand unwilling to give patients marijuana, they're not likely to align their brand with it either. Though, my guess would be this will change because more states are legalizing its use.
Even without the studies, I can tell you that teeth whitening can remove marijuana stains because of the nature of THC stains that have been observed in patients. That being said, there are some things you should know first.
Any teeth whitening needs to be done on clean teeth. If you haven't had your teeth recently cleaned, the whitening gel will not distribute evenly which will give you blotchy teeth. Not an attractive look.
As to whether to use take-home whitening or Zoom whitening, it will completely whiten your teeth in one appointment. Dr. Cha is quite familiar with Zoom but he prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™. Why? KöR has several advantages over Zoom:
- It doesn't use a light to accelerate the gel. The light dries out teeth and makes them sensitive.
- The system KöR uses gel to condition and hydrate your teeth.
- It significantly lightens tetracycline and fluorosis stains, which other brands can't do.
With take-home gel, you gradually see the results. Although your teeth can be as brilliant as an in-office treatment, it will happen over a period of weeks instead of the same day.
Before You Whiten Your Teeth
Are you certain your friend's stains are from marijuana? THC stains are usually very easy to remove so if your friend regularly brushes his teeth and gets check-ups there really shouldn't be that much staining, at least not from that.
It could be that he's assuming it's from that but they're actually stained from things like cigarettes or coffee/tea, etc. Those will need professional whitening as they are harder to remove and get into the pores of the teeth more readily.
Pot Smoking and Oral Health
Something else to be aware of. People who smoke marijuana have a much higher rate of gum disease and decay. Most of that has to do with the effects of THC on the gums. I would also venture to guess that when someone is high, they're binging on lots of food because of the "munchies". That's more likely to be things like carbs, sugary snacks, and sodas than it is to be carrot sticks and other healthy snacks. Plus, it's highly unlikely brushing and flossing after snacking like that is going to be high on their priority list if they happen at all.
Let your friend know how important it is he brush carefully afterward, and also see a dentist regularly. Otherwise, he will develop gum disease which leads to tooth loss. Then he's looking at expensive tooth replacement options such as dental implants.
Some recreational users avoid the dentist out of fear of being turned in. That's really not a legitimate fear. They won't turn him in, with the possible exception of if he came to the office high and was trying to drive himself home. That would make him a public danger.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.
How to Get Rid of Weed Stains on Teeth
Source: https://www.hoperestorative.com/blog/teeth-whitening-pot-stains/