Research study · Journal of Endodontics · 2024
Preoperative Oral Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract for Anxiety and Postoperative Pain After Endodontic Treatment
Verified on PubMed Randomized controlled trial
A 2024 randomized controlled trial in Journal of Endodontics tested cannabidiol in postoperative pain. Neither. Dental anxiety did not fall more than with placebo, and postoperative pain was no different at 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours or 7 days. A specific, well-defined question with a clear negative answer.
In plain language
Study overview
A double-blind trial testing whether a CBD-rich extract taken before a root canal reduced anxiety during the procedure or pain afterwards.
Findings
Neither. Dental anxiety did not fall more than with placebo, and postoperative pain was no different at 24 hours, 48 hours, 72 hours or 7 days.
The deeper readScientific analysis
Patients undergoing endodontic treatment received either a CBD-rich cannabis extract or placebo before the procedure. Pain was recorded on a visual analog scale before treatment and at 24, 48 and 72 hours and 7 days afterwards. Anxiety was measured with the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and a visual analog scale before and immediately after treatment, and salivary cortisol was sampled before dosing and after anaesthesia.
Mean anxiety scores were actually higher in the CBD group at each assessment (pre: 5.06 versus 3.07; post: 4.61 versus 2.60), but the reduction in anxiety across the procedure did not differ significantly between groups. No statistically significant difference in postoperative pain appeared at any timepoint.
The authors report no evidence of an exposure-response relationship and call for further study. Worth holding in mind: baseline anxiety differed between the groups, which complicates a head-to-head reading of the anxiety numbers.
The paper
Citation
de Andrade Silva S, Velozo C, de Almeida Souto Montenegro L, de Sousa WV, da Cunha Isaltino M, de Fátima Formiga Melo Diniz M, et al. Preoperative Oral Cannabidiol-Rich Cannabis Extract for Anxiety and Postoperative Pain After Endodontic Treatment. Journal of Endodontics (2024). PubMed 39505200 · DOI
Read the abstract as published
INTRODUCTION: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of cannabidiol (CBD)-rich Cannabis extract in reducing anxiety and postoperative pain in patients submitted to endodontic treatment.
METHODS: The study was carried out after approval by the Research Ethics Committee (Registration No. 5.075.961). The following groups were tested: CBD and placebo. Pain was measured using a visual analog scale before the start of treatment and 24, 48, and 72 hours and 7 days after the session. Anxiety was assessed using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale and a visual analog scale, before and immediately after treatment. In addition, salivary cortisol was measured before drug administration and after anesthesia. Data were analyzed descriptively using absolute frequencies and percentages, with a 5% margin of error.
RESULTS: The mean anxiety scores were higher in the CBD group than in the placebo group in each assessment (pre: 5.06 vs 3.07, respectively; post: 4.61 vs 2.60). However, there was no significant difference in the reduction of dental anxiety at the beginning of the consultation and throughout the procedure. We did not find statistically significant differences in postoperative pain between the CBD and placebo groups at any of the time points.
CONCLUSIONS: There was no evidence of an exposure-response relationship between the intervention and control groups. However, more studies are needed to determine clinical outcomes.
Abstract text as indexed by PubMed for this identifier.
In practice
Why this matters
A specific, well-defined question with a clear negative answer. Single-dose CBD before a dental procedure is a common idea, and this trial does not support it.
Browse related research
Condition: Dental anxiety Condition: Postoperative pain Topic: Cannabis Topic: CBD Topic: Plant extracts
Related on CED Clinic
Back to Daily Research and Patient Questions
Reviewed by Dr. Caplan on September 17, 2026.
This page is general education about a published study. It is not medical advice and does not create a doctor-patient relationship. For care specific to you, book a consultation.
