Cannabis Science

How to Get Rid of Weed Stains on Teeth

woman smiling weed stains teeth

People carry around a lot of shame when their pearly whites aren’t so white anymore. The truth is, there is nothing to be ashamed of. Teeth are notoriously known for getting stained. Teeth are stained by coffee, wine, tea, and yes, weed. If weed is ruining your teeth, you’re probably scouring the internet trying to find out how to get rid of weed stains on your teeth. You’ve come to the right place, let’s get started. 

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How to Get Rid of Weed Stains on Teeth

You’ll know that weed is staining your teeth when they have a yellow-green tinge or is just discolored. There is more information on cigarette smoking and its effects on teeth than weed. That’s why we’ll be looking at general stain removing techniques below.

Pay Your Dentist a Visit 

Going to the dentist can be scary and expensive. However, it’s necessary if you want to maintain good oral hygiene. 

Weed can cause oral health problems outside of teeth staining. For example, the dry mouth caused by smoking weed can cause tooth decay. In addition to that, gum disease, an inflamed mouth, and other issues can be caused by recreational weed use. 

Therefore, as a stoner, you may have to put extra care into your oral health. The best and most important way to do that is by paying your dentist regular visits. 

Regular dental visits typically mean going to your dentist twice a year or every six months. However, Colgate says that smokers may need to go to the dentist more often. Colgate categorizes smokers as people who have a greater risk of dental disease. 

While Colgate doesn’t specify whether they’re referring to cigarette smokers or weed smokers, it’s still a great idea to have a chat with your dentist. Your dentist will be able to assess whether or not you really need to go more often. 

The important takeaway here is to go at least twice a year for a cleaning to remove stains and maintain good oral health. 

Try Home Remedies

There are a number of home remedies you can try to remove stains. These home remedies aren’t promoted for weed stains specifically, but rather stains in general. They’re worth a try regardless. 

Brushing Your Teeth with Baking Soda

Medical News Today suggests brushing your teeth with baking soda and water every couple of days. Baking soda is often used as a natural way to whiten your teeth because it is mildly abrasive. 

Healthline says to mix equal parts of water and baking soda, dip your toothbrush in the mixture and brush your teeth in a circular motion. Brush your teeth for one minute and then wash your mouth out with water. 

Using Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is another great way to remove stains. You can either brush your teeth with it or use it as a rinse. 

Healthline says, to brush your teeth, add a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide to baking soda to form a paste. The paste should be thick but not gritty. When you’ve created an ideal texture, use it to brush your teeth in a circular motion for less than 2 minutes. Rinse your mouth completely afterwards. 

If you want to use hydrogen peroxide as a rinse, Healthline says to add equal parts with water. Rinse your mouth with this solution for about 30 seconds to one minute. Healthline cautions against using it for more than one minute or swallowing any of the solution. 

Medical News Today suggests rinsing your mouth with hydrogen peroxide every day or at least every few days.

If hydrogen peroxide is used incorrectly it could cause more harm than good. Healthline says not to use hydrogen peroxide more than once a day. In addition to that, make sure the hydrogen peroxide isn’t too strong. Under 3% would be the ideal concentration. We recommend you consult your dentist first.

Over the Counter Products

If you’re not into DIY solutions you can just pick up some over the counter products to remove stains such as:

  • Toothpaste with hydrogen peroxide, baking soda or a combination of the two
  • Whitening rinses 
  • Whitening strips

These products are not a substitute for daily dental care or regular dental visits. As a matter of fact, you can ask your dentist to suggest great over-the-counter products for you since they’re not all created equal. 

How to Prevent Weed Teeth Stains

The great news is that there are ways to prevent weed teeth stains. Here is how you can enjoy your blunt and your pearly whites.

Brush Your Teeth After Smoking 

Hamburg Expressions suggests brushing your teeth right after smoking. They said that if the stains aren’t on your teeth long, they can be easily removed. Therefore, brushing right after smoking your pipe would help the stains not to settle on your teeth and avoid stains completely. 

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene 

You can maintain good oral hygiene by brushing and flossing daily. In addition to that, use mouthwash and limit your teeth’s exposure to other things that stain like tea, coffee, wine and cigarettes. Of course, you should also also see your dentist regularly. 

Hamburg Expressions also says that teeth tartar or calculus build up faster in the mouth when you smoke weed. They said it has to do with the THC in marijuana.

Maintaining good oral hygiene will not only prevent weed teeth stains but give you better oral health. 

Eat Edibles Instead of Smoking 

If smoking causes your teeth to get discolored you can either quit smoking or smoke less. 

Weed can be consumed in so many different ways outside of smoking and so you may want to explore that. 

Remember, if you’re opting to eat sugary edibles, watch out. You may not get weed stains on your teeth but you may still increase your risk of tooth decay. 

Change Your Diet

You could make some changes in your diet that may prevent stains on your teeth. According to Medical News Today, the following foods can help prevent discoloration on the teeth:

  • Whole grains
  • Cereals
  • High fiber fruits and vegetables such as apples
  • Cheese
  • Fermented yogurts
  • Green leafy vegetables
  • Foods rich in particular antioxidants like carrots 

These foods work because they may help to strengthen enamel. Food high in fiber, according to Medical News Today, can remove bacteria and plaque from teeth. Medical News Today also says some foods “form barriers to plaque or contain chemicals that help to neutralize the acids that weaken enamel.”

Maybe you can add some of these foods not only to your daily diet but also to your munchies snack list. 

Conclusion

You’ve just read how to get rid of weed stains on teeth and hopefully, you’ve gotten helpful tips. There are a number of ways you can remove weed stains for the teeth. However, none of them compares to seeing your dentist regularly and practicing good oral hygiene. Stains on your teeth are completely normal and nothing to be ashamed of. The best way to prevent weed stains on your teeth is not to smoke weed and perhaps opt for edibles instead. That may not be realistic though, so brushing after smoking and practicing good oral hygiene are other great options.

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About Trevann

Trevann is Stoner Rotation’s Jamaica-based lead writer for the Science section of our cannabis blog. She graduated with honors receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Molecular Biology from the University of West Indies, Mona. For the last three years, she has covered some of the biggest questions around cannabis and health underpinned with research from supporting studies, medical journals and scholarly articles. Got something on your mind? You can reach her at [email protected].