Oral cannabidiol (CBD) significantly reduced dental pain-related hypersensitivity in a mouse model of apical periodontitis, according to a new study published yesterday in the journal Pain.
The study, titled “Cannabidiol reverses mechanical hypersensitivity in a mouse model of apical periodontitis,” was conducted by a team of researchers from Rutgers School of Dental Medicine and the University of Texas. Apical periodontitis is inflammation around the root of a tooth that can develop following infection or damage to the dental pulp.
Researchers induced apical periodontitis in male and female mice by exposing the pulp of a molar, while a control group underwent sham procedures. After 21 days, mechanical hypersensitivity was measured using fine filaments applied to the facial area near the affected tooth.
Mice given a single oral dose of CBD experienced a significant reduction in mechanical hypersensitivity at both 45 minutes and 120 minutes after administration compared with mice given a vehicle treatment. The pain-reducing effect at the dose tested was significantly stronger in male mice than females.
Researchers also examined where CBD was acting to produce the analgesic effect. CBD injected into areas of the central nervous system reduced hypersensitivity, while injections delivered locally inside the mouth did not, suggesting the effect was primarily mediated centrally rather than at the site of dental inflammation.
Additional experiments implicated transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1), a receptor involved in pain signaling. Blocking TRPV1 before administering oral CBD prevented the analgesic effect in male mice.
Researchers conclude by stating “Overall, this study shows, for the first time, that oral CBD can be an effective analgesic for apical periodontitis–induced MH. This analgesic effect was mediated through a central site of action and involved the TRPV1 channel.”
