New CBD study 2025: Can cannabidiol effectively relieve pain after a tooth extraction?

Pain after a tooth extraction is one of the most common complaints in dentistry. Although conventional non-opioid analgesics are considered the standard therapy, these medications cannot be taken without problems by all patients. Stomach problems, kidney or liver diseases, as well as individual intolerances, mean that alternative or complementary treatment options are increasingly coming into the focus of research.
A new scientific study, published at the end of 2025 in the renowned journal Pharmaceuticals, investigated for the first time the effect of oral CBD on acute pain after a simple tooth extraction. Although the results are still preliminary due to the small number of participants, they provide interesting indications that higher dosed cannabidiol (CBD) could play a role in non-opioid pain therapy in the future. In this article, we summarize the study in an understandable way, explain its significance, and scientifically classify the results.

Why pain after a tooth extraction is a major issue

Millions of teeth are removed worldwide every year. Although a simple tooth extraction is a routine procedure, the following often occur afterwards:

• Pain
• Swelling
• Inflammation
• restricted mouth opening
• impairments when eating and speaking

NSAIDs are usually used for this. These medications work reliably but are not suitable for every patient. For this reason, scientists are looking for well-tolerated alternatives or complements to classical pain therapy.

Why is CBD increasingly the focus of pain research?

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a natural plant compound from the hemp plant (Cannabis sativa). Unlike THC, CBD has no intoxicating effect and does not cause a "high." In recent years, research has intensively dealt with the possible properties of CBD. Numerous preclinical studies indicate that cannabidiol could be:

• anti-inflammatory
• pain-relieving
• neuroprotective
• calming
• and antioxidant.

Particularly interesting is the endocannabinoid system, which is also present in the gums and surrounding tissue. Laboratory studies show that CBD can reduce various pro-inflammatory signaling molecules such as IL-6, IL-8, or prostaglandin E2. This could weaken the inflammatory response after a tooth extraction. However, high-quality clinical studies specifically for postoperative dental pain have been lacking so far.

The new SWAP study at a glance

The researchers developed the so-called SWAP study ("Simple Tooth Extraction with Analgesic Phytocannabinoid"). The aim was to investigate whether different concentrations of oral CBD can reduce pain after a tooth extraction.

Study design

A total of 8 adults participated in the pilot study. The participants were randomly assigned to four groups:

• CBD 17 mg/ml
• CBD 37 mg/ml
• Placebo
• Standard therapy with ibuprofen and paracetamol

The CBD and placebo groups each received 0.5 ml oil every four to six hours as needed over seven days. The standard group received the usual combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol.

How was pain measured?

The scientists used a modern method called Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA). Participants documented their pain several times daily directly via digital recording over a period of 72 hours. This method is considered particularly reliable because recall errors are significantly reduced. Additionally, the following were recorded:

• maximum pain
• use of additional painkillers
• tolerability
• side effects
• subjective experiences

The most important results of the study

Although only eight people participated and therefore no statistically reliable statements are possible, interesting trends emerged.

CBD 37 mg/ml performed best

Participants with the higher CBD concentration (37 mg/ml) reported:

• the lowest pain scores
• stable pain courses
• similar results to the standard therapy with ibuprofen and paracetamol

Especially in the first hours after the procedure, the pain curves ran almost parallel to the classical pain treatment.

Low-dose CBD showed little effect

The group with CBD 17 mg/ml practically did not differ from the placebo group. Pain levels were significantly higher throughout the observation period than in the high-dose CBD group. This suggests that a certain dosage may be required to achieve a relevant pain-relieving effect at all.

Placebo showed the highest pain

The placebo group recorded:

• the highest pain scores
• the longest pain courses
• complaints lasting more than 48 hours

This corresponded to the researchers' expectations.

How well was CBD tolerated?

A particularly positive result concerns safety. During the study, there were:

• no serious side effects
• no therapy discontinuations
• no serious complications

Occasionally, only mild complaints were reported, including:

• mild fatigue
• dry mouth

These disappeared on their own. However, the authors expressly point out that due to the small number of participants, no reliable statements about general safety are yet possible.

Why is the study interesting despite the small number of participants?

Pilot studies are not intended to provide definitive proof of efficacy. Rather, they answer questions such as:

• Does the study design work?
• Are the medications well tolerated?
• Can initial signals of efficacy be detected?

Exactly this could be shown by the SWAP study.

In particular, the higher CBD dosage produced a pain profile surprisingly similar to the standard therapy. For research, this is an important indication.

What are the weaknesses of the study?

The authors themselves point out several limitations.

Very small number of participants

With only eight subjects, no statistically reliable statements can be made. The results are exclusively exploratory.

Differences already before treatment

One group already had significantly lower pain before the tooth extraction than the other participants. This complicates the comparison.

No biomarkers

No inflammation values or laboratory parameters were measured. Therefore, it remains unclear which biological mechanisms were actually responsible for the observed effect.

Need for improvement in the placebo

Some participants noticed differences in the taste of the different CBD oils. This could have partially influenced the blinding. Future studies should therefore use taste-identical placebos.

How do the results fit with previous research?

The new pilot study is not alone. Earlier studies had already provided indications that CBD could relieve pain in the mouth and jaw area. These include, among others:

• acute tooth pain
• pain in temporomandibular joint disorders
• recurrent aphthae
• inflammatory processes in the oral cavity

However, not all studies show positive results. Some investigations found no significant differences compared to placebo. The authors explain these differences, among other things, by:

• different dosages
• different forms of administration
• varying study designs
• different types of pain

Precisely for this reason, larger randomized studies are urgently needed.

What significance do the results have for patients?

From today's perspective, the study should not be interpreted to mean that CBD can already replace classical painkillers. The data are clearly insufficient for that. However, the results suggest that higher dosed CBD could possibly be investigated in the future as a complementary option within a multimodal, non-opioid pain therapy. Especially patients who do not tolerate certain painkillers or whose intake is restricted could benefit in the long term from further scientific findings. Until then, ibuprofen and paracetamol remain the established standard therapies after uncomplicated tooth extractions.

What role does CBD oil play today?

Interest in high-quality CBD oil has been growing steadily for years. Many users already use CBD oil in everyday life, for example to promote general well-being or as part of their personal health routine. However, it is important to distinguish between freely available CBD oil products and clinical studies. The preparations used in scientific investigations are standardized and precisely dosed. Therefore, results from studies cannot be easily transferred to all freely available products. Those who want to learn more about high-quality CBD oil should look for tested quality, transparent laboratory analyses, and reputable manufacturers.

Conclusion: Promising initial results – but no definitive proof yet

The new pilot study from 2025 provides exciting indications that higher concentrated CBD after a tooth extraction may achieve pain relief similar to the standard therapy with ibuprofen and paracetamol. At the same time, the authors repeatedly emphasize that the study does not allow definitive statements due to the very small number of participants. The key findings are:

• CBD 37 mg/ml showed the lowest pain scores.
• The effect resembled the standard therapy.
• CBD 17 mg/ml was hardly better than placebo.
• Tolerability appeared good.
• Larger clinical studies are urgently required.

If future randomized studies confirm these results, cannabidiol could become an interesting addition within modern, non-opioid pain concepts in dentistry in the long term. Until then, the SWAP study remains an important first step – and another building block in the growing scientific research around CBD.

Source: Abidi AH, Kassan M, Derefinko K. Oral Cannabidiol for Acute Post-Extraction Pain: A Randomized Pilot Study. Pharmaceuticals. 2025;18(12):1792. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18121792

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