Can You Smoke Weed With Braces?

If you’re thinking about getting braces, you’re probably wondering if you can still fire up your bong or have a blunt. That’s a valid question; there are tons of dos and don’ts when it comes to caring for your braces. You’ll have to give up your favorite crunchy and sticky foods, but what about weed? Can you smoke weed with braces? Here’s what we know. 

Photo: Unsplash 

Can I Smoke Weed With Braces?

If you scoured the internet, many blogs say smoking weed is completely fine. To be fair, there is not much official information on weed use and braces. However, more credible sources warn against smoking cigarettes with braces. Since some similarities exist between smoking weed and cigarettes, some of the warnings would carry over to weed. 

For example, just like smoking cigarettes, smoking weed can stain your teeth. According to The Brace Place, “Smoke can penetrate through the adhesive that holds your braces brackets to your teeth, staining the tooth surfaces underneath.” While they were referring to cigarette smoke, we think that can apply to weed smoke, too, since they are similar. 

Fortunately, Parkside Dental, weed stains your teeth to a lesser extent than cigarettes. However, the stains would naturally be more pronounced if you’re a heavy smoker. 

In addition to that, smoking weed can affect your teeth negatively. Using weed can cause:

• Gum disease
• Dry or inflamed mouth
• Alveolar bone loss, which can cause tooth loss

Unfortunately, smoke can interfere with your treatment. According to Orthodontic Excellence,

“smoking can make treatment much slower. In some cases, it can prevent getting the results you deserve.”

While they specifically spoke about cigarette smoking, it can also be applied to smoking weed. Why? Well, in order for braces to be most effective, you have to have healthy teeth and gums. Having gum disease, for example, can spell trouble for braces wearers. 

San Diego Periodontics & Implant Dentistry said having your gums inflamed or infected while wearing braces could compromise the integrity of your teeth. In addition to that, gum disease can cause you to lose teeth, and changes in your mouth will affect your braces. 

They recommend seeing a periodontist before getting braces to ensure your teeth and gum are healthy. 

Can I Use Edibles With Braces?

Technically, you can eat edibles with your braces. An advantage of opting for edibles is that you’ll avoid discoloration. At the same time, foods high in sugar, like many edibles, aren’t great for your teeth.   

Healthline says that when we eat sugary foods, some bacteria eat the sugar left in our mouths. When these bacteria eat the sugar, they produce an acid that is harmful to our teeth. To be more specific, this acid results in demineralization. Demineralization is the loss of minerals from the tooth enamel. When your enamel is constantly worn down, you can get cavities. 

As Healthline said, “….a cavity is a hole in the tooth caused by tooth decay. It’s the result of harmful bacteria digesting the sugar in foods and producing acids.”

Therefore, eating pot brownies frequently may do more harm than good. In addition to that, weed-infused drinks that are sweet can cause the same problem. It’s not that you can’t have them, but you can’t consume them frequently. One type of edible you may have to avoid is gummy edibles. Generally, sticky foods or chewy foods aren’t on the list of approved list for braces. 

Other Problems With Weed and Braces

One problem stoners may encounter while wearing braces is not being able to eat their favorite munchies snacks. Munchies refer to the increase in appetite some stoners get after using weed. Munchies themselves aren’t a problem. However, the type of foods that stoners typically eat when they have munchies poses a problem. 

Common munchies snacks include:

• Popcorn
• Candy
• Chips
• Pizza
• Tacos

However, all of these foods are bad for braces. Many of these foods can also be crunchy. Crunchy foods, according to Central Coast Orthodontic, can:

• Bend the wires on the braces
• Loosen bands
• Knock off brackets
• Cause pain if stuck 
• Cause tooth decay if stuck

How to Navigate Braces as a Stoner  

While it may seem daunting, you can maintain braces as a stoner. There are lots of things you can do so you can satisfy your weed cravings and have your teeth straightened and healthy. 

Opt for Invisalign

Sometimes, you can have your braces removed, and Invisalign retainers put in. If you haven’t gotten your braces yet, this is the perfect time to ask your dentist about Invisalign. 

Invisalign affords you certain freedoms; yes, you can smoke weed with Invisalign. However, removing your retainers when smoking weed or eating an edible is recommended. With Invisalign, you can enjoy your favorite munchies snacks such as popcorn, chips, and candy. However, you need to have your retainers in at least 22 hours per day, so you can’t take them out to snack or smoke for too long. 

Eat with Care

Whether or not you have braces, you can get cavities if you eat or drink too many sugary foods. However, if you do have braces, you’ll want to avoid cavities even more because they can mess up your straightening journey. In addition to that, using weed, as mentioned before, can increase your chances of dental issues. Therefore, limiting sugary foods can help you have an easier braces journey. 

In addition to that, you can make some concessions if you have braces but don’t want to give up all of your favorite munchies snacks. For example, if you love pizza, you can eat it if you do certain things. However, Hungry Howies advises braces wearers to, “avoid crusts and toppings that are too tough and hard, sticky, or stringy, and eat in small, careful bites.”

In addition to that, if you like tacos, you can opt for a soft shell instead of a hard shell. If you like hard crackers, try eating softer crackers. 

By following eating guidelines you can smoke weed with braces without causing major problems.

Try Other Ways of Using Weed

Since smoking weed can cause stains and constantly eating sweet edibles can cause cavities, you may look at other ways of using weed. Parkside Dental suggests opting for the following:

• Oils
• Tinctures
• Vapes
• Creams

We also suggest brewing weed tea. 

While some of these methods won’t prevent munchies or dry mouth, they won’t cause discoloration of teeth. Therefore, they are worth a try. 

Practise Good Dental Hygiene

Practicing good dental hygiene can help make your braces journey and your life so much easier. Practicing good dental hygiene means:

• Flossing once per day
• Rinsing your mouth after meals
• Seeing your dentist regularly
• Limiting sugary foods
• Brushing your teeth regularly

Brushing and flossing are even more essential when you have braces because you don’t want food to stick in your braces. Some dentists even recommend brushing and flossing after every meal when you have braces. Moles Orthodontists recommend, “Using a toothbrush with a soft head, try to brush after every meal whenever possible. Floss after every meal, too, and pay attention to gently flossing between your teeth and the braces wire.”

If it’s not possible for you to brush your teeth and floss after every meal, Moles Orthodontists also suggest rinsing after every meal. While it may not be as effective, they said it’s better than nothing. 

Keep Hydrated 

Usually, when you use weed, you end up with a dry mouth. Besides being uncomfortable, a dry mouth can affect your teeth and gum negatively. 

Parkside Dental says, “Make sure you drink plenty of water immediately after taking your medical cannabis products. This will help prevent dry mouth and keep your teeth and gums healthy.”

If you have difficulty keeping hydrated, you can set a reminder on your phone. 

Takeaway

Can you smoke weed with braces? You can. However, there can be some side effects from doing it you may want to avoid or mitigate. For example, you may stain your teeth and become prone to dental issues by being a stoner. The great news is you can explore other methods of using weed and, most importantly, keeping up with your dental hygiene. Make sure you share your concerns with your medical provider, and they may be able to provide additional tips. In conclusion, you can smoke weed with braces; just take care of your dental health.