Baked at the Dentist: Dentists claim half of their patients are high on weed
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/970070
Nobody likes to go to the dentist. This is a universal certainties like death and taxes. There are many reasons why we don’t like to go to the dentist, whether we know we’ll have to undergo excruciating nerve work, or simply the fact that some other human will be jabbing their hands down the gaping hole in your face revealing just how bad your dental hygiene really is.
Perhaps this is the reason why virtually half of the people going to dentists offices are stoned, according to dentists.
As personal and medical marijuana use increases nationwide, the American Dental Association (ADA) suggests patients refrain from using marijuana before dental visits after a new survey finds more than half of dentists (52%) reported patients arriving for appointments high on marijuana or another drug.
SOURCE: EUREKA ALERT
That’s right, according to dentists, more than half of the people arriving at their offices are stoned. Perhaps this is because of the anxiety that a trip to the dentist office creates in an individual. And while this might seem like a harmless thing, the fact of the matter is that cannabis use can interact with the medications they give you in the dentist office.
That’s because being high at the dentist can limit the care that can be delivered. The survey of dentists found 56% reported limiting treatment to patients who were high. Because of how marijuana and anesthesia impact the central nervous system, 46% of surveyed dentists reported sometimes needing to increase anesthesia to treat patients who needed care.
Source: EUREKA ALERT
In the US, if anything goes wrong, the dentist could be held liable. Which is why they opt in to rather turn patients away if they detect that they are high at the time of their visit. This is because cannabis users for some reason can handle more anesthesia than non cannabis users.
Perhaps it’s because cannabis users have learned how to “be high” and operate consciously under the influence of THC, that when the anesthesia kicks in, they can be more “present” despite the drugs. However, within a “surgical” or “dental” setting – this isn’t the ideal.
The whole idea of toking up prior to the dentist office is to “reduce pain”, however, if it will increase your tolerance to the anesthesia, then it would defeat the purpose.
Personally, I prefer to be high a well before going to the dentist. You can relax a bit more, your not as nervous about what’s going to happen.
Of course, when we’re talking about major dental work – then perhaps using CBD would be a better option. There isn’t really any research on the impact of CBD on anesthesia. However, the vast majority of institutions recommend abstaining from using any sort of substance prior to entering into surgery or going under any kind of anesthetics.
This warning does very little in deterring people from smoking weed prior going to the dentist office as the world becomes more friendly to cannabis and cannabis related products.
However, according to the article, the dentists do say that “cannabis users tend to have more cavities” and partly blame it on “The Munchies” which according to them is a medical term.
“The active ingredient in marijuana, THC, makes you hungry, and people don’t always make healthy food choices under its influence,” Dr. Quartey said. “Medically speaking, munchies are real.”
Cannabis Jests aside, I would like to see the science on all of that. According to the article there have been “studies” yet none of them have been hyperlinked, so I couldn’t tell which ones they are referring to.
Nonetheless, everybody knows that everything we do has some sort of consequence. Everything we eat, the hours we sleep, whether we do exercise or not – everything has an impact on your wellbeing.
Some activities have a greater impact on your physical and mental health, and while cannabis certainly isn’t exempt from this – it is far less detrimental to your health than alcohol or tobacco. This isn’t to say that it is “harmless”. If you’re inhaling smoke, you’re doing some sort of damage to your organism irrespective if it’s natural.
However, most cannabis users aren’t ignorant to this fact – they understand the “risks” involved and continue to smoke anyhow. This is a personal choice similar to someone who chooses to drink a few beers while hanging out with “the buddies”.
Nonetheless – if there is an actual correlation between cannabis use and higher cavities, then perhaps there’s a new market for cannabis related toothpaste – you can get high while fighting stank breath!
I’m sure there’s already some form of CBD infused tooth paste out there, but mouth sprays, gums, etc can all be highly marketable products within a legalized cannabis marketplace. Stoner’s like to get high, and they also don’t like going to the dentist – therefore, if you can invent a product that can both get them high and avoid going to the dentist – you’re the “hero we didn’t know we needed…”
Having said that, brush your goddamned teeth!
If you’re going to snarf down a bunch of sugary treats, the least you can do is brush your teeth, remove all the sugar residues from your mouth so that it doesn’t erode the enamel in your teeth. Also, maybe prepare some healthier snacks.
You know that the munchies is going to get you at one point – with a little bit of preparation you can create an arsenal of healthy snacks to satisfy the beast but also boost your overall health and wellness.
You’re probably going to the dentist stoned…
After everything you just read, I can almost guarantee that you will indeed go to the dentist stoned. Come on – be honest! I know I will.
The fact of the matter is that going to the dentist suck. Perhaps if they tickled your balls a bit prior to drilling holes into your head while engaging in conversation with you knowing that there’s no way you could respond coherently if your life depended on it; could we find a way in our hearts to go to the dentist sober.
But like me, if I know I’m going “under”, I got to get “over” the initial mental trauma first; I know you too will probably take a toke before getting drilled.
DENTAL HEALTH AND WEED, READ ON...
DENTAL HEALTH AND WEED, WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU SMOKE!
