According to a study published in the journal Evidence-Based Dentistry, a purified CBD formulation, known commercially as Epidiolex, significantly alleviates acute toothache symptoms.
This finding comes from a placebo-controlled clinical trial involving 61 participants experiencing moderate to severe dental pain. The study was conducted by researchers at the University Hospital Crosshouse in Scotland, and the abstract was published online ahead of print by the US National Library of Medicine.
In the study, 40 patients received Epidiolex in 10 or 20 mg doses, while 21 received a placebo. Over the three hours following administration, those treated with CBD reported, on average, more than a 50% reduction in pain, with relief occurring within the first 15 minutes. In contrast, the placebo group reported a 37.5% reduction in pain.
“No subject required rescue pain relief during the 3-h observation period. Compared to baseline VAS, significant pain relief was seen 30 min after drug administration for CBD10, versus after 15 min for CBD20 (p < 0.05)”, states the study. “Pain reduction reached 50% at 60 min for CBD10 and at 120 min for CBD20. Both reported maximum pain reduction of 73% of baseline at 180 min. 33% pain reduction from baseline was seen in the placebo group, with a median VAS pain of 67% at 180 min. 45.4% of CBD10 and 46.6% of CBD20 required pain relief after 1-6 h, versus 37.5% of placebo (p > 0.05).”
Bite force increase was seen in both CBD10 and CBD20 groups at 90 and 180 min, versus no significant differences between time points in the placebo group. On assessing pain intensity, “pain reduction was significantly associated with increasing time in the CBD groups (p < 0.001), versus no significant association with the placebo group (p = 0.0521).”
Researchers conclude by stating that “Based on this randomised clinical trial, pure CBD drug Epidiolex demonstrates effective analgesia against acute toothache.”
