When covering the effects of cannabidiol (CBD), we usually mention words like
“relaxing,” “soothing”, “euphoric”, and “uplifting.” CBD can be all of these things and more, but
there’s another effect that you may experience when taking the cannabinoid,
which is some level of change to your breath.
Although this is short-lived, it may make you feel self-conscious,
especially if you’re going to be socializing while CBD is active in your body.
CBD and Dry Mouth
The most commonly reported side effect of CBD, along
with most cannabinoids, is dry mouth, which is often referred to as “cotton
mouth”. It’s the sensation of lacking
moisture in the mouth, which directly comes from a lack of saliva
production. Understanding why this
occurs requires taking a closer look at the nature of cannabinoids.
Cannabinoids in general work by binding to cannabinoid receptors in the body, with
each receptor being in charge of regulating the function of an individual
process. When cannabinoids bind to these
receptors, chemical reactions occur that change the manner in which each
process operates.
Cannabinoids can bind to cannabinoid receptors within
the salivary glands, which seem to have a particular affinity to this process
of the body. The result is often a
temporary reduction in saliva production, which lasts for about as long as the
psychoactive effects of the CBD. This
causes the mouth to become dry, and this can directly affect your breath.
The reason why dry mouth can lead to bad breath is
because the lack of saliva allows odor-causing bacteria in the mouth to
thrive. We take for granted the fact
that saliva is constantly washing away bacteria that could otherwise accumulate
along the oral tissue and lead to an unpleasant smell. Note that because this effect is so
temporary, you really don’t need to worry about implications pertaining to
long-term oral health.
How Much CBD Being Consumed Might Make a Difference
Naturally, the more cannabidiol you consume, the
stronger the effects will be, including those that impact saliva
production. What this means is that if
you take a particularly high milligram strength or dosage amount of CBD, dry
mouth is likely going to be more noticeable.
The Delivery Method Makes a Difference, Too
The delivery method that you are using to introduce
cannabidiol into the body also plays a role.
For instance, CBD vapes are more likely to cause some effect on your
breath for a couple of reasons:
- 1.The
effects of vaping CBD are more condensed due to the high bioavailability of
this delivery method, meaning that the effects are not only felt quickly, but
more strongly as well. Therefore, the
effects on your breath are also more potent along with all of the other
properties associated with the cannabinoid. - 2.Vaping
can be mildly dehydrating to the oral tissue, again in a very temporary
way. Combining this with CBD’s impact on
saliva production, and you’re more likely to experience dry mouth in a way that
contributes to effects on your breath.
Meanwhile, CBD gummies deliver effects that are more
spread out over time, taking up to 2 hours to be felt while lasting for up to 8
hours. The effects of gummies and other
edibles are also considered to be subtler than those associated with
inhalation-based methods. Therefore,
it’s not surprising that most users report that they experience milder cotton
mouth when consuming gummies compared to vaping the cannabinoid.
Pay Attention to the Ingredients in Your CBD Product
Keep in mind that other ingredients in a CBD-based
product may impact your breath as well.
For instance, flavored gummies may cause the aroma of the flavor profile
to linger on your breath for a short period after consumption, which may or may
not be desirable depending on the ingredients.
It can be pleasant for your breath to smell like, say, delicious fruit,
but if a gummy is enhanced with, say, vitamins including fish oil, this could
negatively affect your breath, at least temporarily.
The Impact of Terpenes
Terpenes
are compounds in hemp that determine the strain of the plant, as well as its
flavor and aroma. Each terpene has a
unique smell to it, with some terpenes smelling like pine, some smelling like
citrus, and even some smelling like diesel or hops. If you’re consuming a terpene-rich CBD
product orally, your breath may smell like the terpenes in the product for a
short while.
What Should You Do if a CBD Product Affects Your Breath?
Ultimately, cannabidiol has a distinctive effect on
saliva production that’s hard to avoid, and that’s not even talking about the
smells of terpenes and other ingredients found in CBD-infused products. What’s fortunate is, the impacts of a CBD
product on your breath are generally very easy to remedy by doing two simple
things.
- 1.If
the cause is dry mouth, then simply drink some water. This will take the place of saliva in your
mouth by washing away the bacteria that is accumulating in the mouth and
causing an odor to occur. Whenever you
plan on consuming CBD, make sure you’ve some water nearby. - 2.You
can always use some mouthwash if your breath is really affected by your CBD
consumption. Mouthwash effectively kills
germs and odors to make your breath as fresh as possible.
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