Pilot Study Suggests High-Concentration CBD May Reduce Pain After Tooth Extraction

A pilot study conducted in the United States suggests that cannabidiol (CBD) in high concentration may represent a promising alternative for managing acute pain after tooth extraction. The research, published in November 2025 in the Pharmaceuticals journal, evaluated the efficacy and safety of two oral CBD concentrations compared to placebo and standard therapy with ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

The SWAP Study

The randomized clinical trial, named SWAP (Simple Tooth Extraction with Analgesic Phytocannabinoid), was carried out at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), at the Dunn/Delta Dental Clinic. The study involved eight adults undergoing simple tooth extraction. Participants were equally divided into four groups: CBD at 17 mg/mL, CBD at 37 mg/mL, placebo, and conventional treatment (ibuprofen/acetaminophen).

The groups receiving CBD or placebo used 0.5 mL of the product every 4-6 hours as needed, for seven days. The conventional treatment group followed the standard non-opioid analgesics regimen.

Exploratory Results

Although the sample size is too small for definitive conclusions, researchers noted interesting descriptive patterns. The higher CBD concentration (37 mg/mL) produced lower and stable pain trajectories over 72 hours post-extraction, with qualitatively similar results to standard treatment.

Conversely, the lower concentration (17 mg/mL) showed limited efficacy, with pain scores overlapping those of the placebo. This suggests the existence of a necessary dose threshold for effective analgesia in the context of acute dental pain.