If you’re worried if your dentist can tell if you smoke weed or not, you’re not alone. Marijuana is illegal in the United States of America.
It’s classified as a schedule 1 drug at the federal level, under the Controlled Substances Act. Why? Federal agencies believe marijuana’s potential for abuse is high.
If you live in places like Texas, you need to understand marijuana isn’t legal in the state. But this doesn’t mean people don’t use it. By the way, patients suffering certain medical conditions may use medical marijuana.
The potential for patients using medical marijuana to smoke it is high. Some who’re already guilty of this act may worry that their dentist can tell that they smoked it.
You’ll find all the answers you need about your dentist figuring out that you’re smoking marijuana. Read on!
Can Dentist Tell If You Smoke Weed?
Yes, your dentist can tell if you’re a weed smoker via different ways, but it’s not as easy as it seems. Your dentist can’t just look at your mouth and pass judgment that you’re a weed smoker.
The dentist can tell if you’re a weed smoker by your urine test, breath, and stain on your teeth. However, if you only just started doing weed a few weeks ago, the dentist may struggle to tell if you’re doing weed.
How Can A Dentist Tell If You Smoke Weed?
A dentist can tell if you do weed, but the process isn’t as straightforward as it is on paper, sometimes.
Here are the ways the dentist can know you do weed.
1: Urine test:
Urine tests are necessary to ascertain if someone has an underlying health issue. The analysis involves testing the urine for its appearance, content and concentration.
Dentists usually request urine tests before attending to patients. It helps determine if someone has a problem that needs to be addressed first before focusing on the dental part.
The easiest way to detect THC is via a urine test, and it depends on the way you use marijuana. If you take it infrequently, expect THC to remain in your urine for around 1-3 days on average.
For moderate users, THC will be present in the urine sample for 5-7 days after the latest day they consume marijuana. For daily uses, marijuana THC will be present in the urine for 10 – 15 days, while heavy users may fail a urine test one month from when they consume marijuana.
Don’t waste your time trying to flush your body with water so that you can pass the test and ensure your dentist doesn’t find out that you have been taking marijuana. You could be called back to repeat a urine test if it’s discovered that the urine present has been diluted.
2: Changes to your teeth and gums’ structure:
A dentist can tell that you’re smoking weed via your gum. Regular weed use can change your gum and teeth’s structure.
Weed has also been associated with gum disease. So, if a dentist spots such a disease on your gum, it won’t be so hard for him or her to tell the cause of the problem.
The problem with weed that causes the teeth and gum damage is that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) binds with receptors in one’s body, including the gum and teeth.
This binding can also change one’s teeth and gums, giving dentists visible evidence of marijuana use.
3: Dentist can smell marijuana on you:
Had a couple of smokes before visiting your dentist? Then you have handed your dentist an easy decision to make.
Weed has a very strong scent, and the reason for this is terpenes, a tiny volatile molecule the plant releases.
Weed has a strong smell that can penetrate one’s clothes, carpets, furniture, and you name it. So, if you wear the same clothes you wore while smoking weed to your dentist’s office, you have handed yourself over to the dentist on a silver platter.
So, keep in mind that dentists can tell that you smoke weed from the smell emanating from your clothes. You will also smell the same way if you were around someone that smoked weed.
A Handy Tip: You can get rid of the smell of weed from your furniture with the use of baking soda. Just sprinkle a couple of the baking soda over your furniture, carpet, and rugs, and allow it to sit overnight. Then vacuum it the following day.
As for your clothes and other fabrics, pour a small amount of Apple cider vinegar together with laundry detergent into the washing machine.
4: The smell from your mouth:
If you had just finished smoking weed before heading to your dentist, you have handed yourself over to him on a silver platter. The smell emanating from your mouth will tell the dentist that you smoke weed.
Weed has a strong smell. And there’s a tendency for your breath to smell of weed for a while.
So, the best thing to do after smoking weed before heading to your dentist is to get rid of the smell. Chew a couple of mint-flavored gum or brush your teeth and rinse properly with mouthwash.
5: Stain on your teeth:
Stain on one’s teeth caused by weed is milder than the one tobacco can cause. However, if you’re a heavy weed smoker, it won’t be difficult for your dentist to know that you’re smoking weed.
The stain weed placed on the teeth will give the dentist a clue that you do smoke weed. He or she doesn’t need to conduct any further test to ascertain that you smoke weed.
Marijuana can also discolor your teeth, and it would be so obvious if you were the type that practices poor oral hygiene. Tooth discoloration is also highly likely for heavy smokers.
6: Dry mouth and tooth decay:
Dry-mouth related to tooth-decay is another possible way dentists can tell that you’re a weed smoker. This condition is called xerostomia.
How does weed cause tooth decay? A journal on substance use has provided a clear description of how this happens. Weed tends to inhabit the flow of saliva in our mouth, causing dry mouth within 1 – 6 hours of use.
Dry mouth can cause tooth decay. That’s because saliva is essential to prevent damage to the teeth. Saliva prevents germs from building up on the teeth, leading to decay.
So, when you have a dry mouth, tooth decay is possible. Your dentist can figure out that you’re using marijuana from your tooth decay problem. It’s not that difficult for them.
So, dry mouth and tooth decay can signal to the dentist that you’re a weed smoker.
7: Oral cancer:
Research on whether weed causes oral cancer is rare because weed itself is illegal in the country.
However, a handful of research has pointed out that weed can contribute to oral cancer. Your dentist may suspect that you’re a weed smoker if you have this disease.
How You Can Use Medical Marijuana Without Messing Up Your Oral Health
Are you feeling concerned that medical marijuana may damage your oral health? If yes, here are ways you can use weed and maintain good oral health. Your gums and teeth would be intact.
1: Try other alternatives to weed smoking:
If smoking is the only way you have been consuming medical marijuana, you need to make changes now before it starts affecting your oral health.
Other ways you can take weed besides smoking exist. You’ll also get the positive impact when you take weed by consuming the oil, edibles, vapes, tinctures, or using the cream.
2: Brush occasionally:
How often do you brush your teeth? Is it once or twice daily? The best way to brush your teeth when using weed to maintain good oral hygiene is to brush twice daily.
Also, you have to floss once daily and after smoking, endeavor to brush your teeth so the weed doesn’t leave stains on it.
3: Stay hydrated always:
Increasing your daily water consumption will prevent dry mouth and keep your gum and teeth healthy.
So, drink a lot of water daily. You can even sip water throughout the day to keep your mouth and body hydrated.
Again, after smoking weed, remember to consume water. Keep your mouth hydrated always.
How To End Your Weed Addiction Faster
Weed is illegal, and excess consumption can have a negative impact on one’s health. However, if you’re ready to quit smoking, here are easy steps for you.
1: Develop interest in other things besides weed:
If you keep seeing weed as the number one thing that makes you happy, stopping your addiction would be difficult.
Instead, find other activities that make you happy. It could be sports, exercise or even video games.
2: Avoid staying idle:
An idle mind would always wonder and you may find yourself running back to that addiction you want to quit.
So, get yourself super busy always. You can clean the house, run errands, drive, visit friends, etc. Just don’t stay idle or have weed around you.
3: Change your friends:
It’s hard to stop weed addiction if you keep friends that smoke. They’ll want to lure you back.
So, change your friends. If possible, change your environment for a while.
Conclusion
Can dentist tell if you smoke weed? Yes, dentists can tell if you’re smoking weed or just smoked weed. However, it’s not as straightforward as it seems, sometimes.
Dentists can smell weed on your clothes, mouth, or know that you smoke weed from dry mouth or tooth decay. A urine test can also reveal if you smoke weed too.
