Bruxism, the act of clenching or grinding teeth, is a condition that goes beyond oral health, often linked to stress, anxiety, or sleep disorders. The symptoms are uncomfortable, including headaches, dental wear, and facial muscle tension.

Recently, medical cannabis has emerged as a promising therapeutic tool for treating bruxism. Dentist Nivaldo Vani has been applying this treatment in clinical practice, but emphasizes that the main focus should be on accurate diagnosis of the cause.

According to Vani, it is crucial to understand the nature of the problem before starting any treatment. "Bruxism is not a disease, bruxism is not a pathology, bruxism is a manifestation," explains the dentist. "It is an autonomic manifestation where the body begins an involuntary movement. And this movement happens for various reasons."

The specialist highlights that awake bruxism has gained prominence recently, mainly due to its relationship with chronic orofacial and cervical pain.

Diagnosis: The challenge in treating bruxism

Vani points out that the greatest challenge for effective treatment still lies in identifying the origin of the problem.

"What I see is that the difficulty still lies in the diagnosis, in knowing, identifying what is triggering that," he said during the Brazilian Medicinal Cannabis Congress of 2025.

This identification is crucial because the therapeutic approach with cannabinoids changes drastically depending on the cause. "If it's a pain, your cannabinoid approach will be one. If it's cognitive behavioral, anxiety, it will probably be another. And sometimes, if you mix up the prescriptions, you can have worsened conditions," warns the dentist.

How cannabinoids act on bruxism

Scientific studies have investigated how cannabis compounds, such as Cannabidiol (CBD) and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), act in this scenario. CBD is known for its anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxing properties. THC, on the other hand, can help modulate muscle activity.

Together, they have the potential to reduce tension in the jaw and relieve the pain associated with this condition.

Results of bruxism treatment with cannabis

After correctly identifying the cause, Nivaldo Vani reports a high success rate with cannabinoid therapy. "Obviously, to treat anything, knowledge of the cause and pathology is necessary. But knowing this, [...] cannabinoids work very well," he reports.

The dentist states that the association of cannabinoids has become routine in his treatments, except in cases of patient resistance or drug interactions.

"Today, I hardly ever do not associate a cannabinoid in my patients. In my cases of orofacial pain related to this condition, practically if I can put it, I put it in 100% of cases. I have had very good results."