A clinical trial found that CBD oil significantly reduced pain intensity and improved quality of life in patients with burning mouth syndrome, a chronic oral condition with few effective treatments, though larger studies are needed to confirm these promising results.
- CBD oil reduced pain intensity and impact in burning mouth syndrome patients compared to placebo, with differences appearing by the third assessment
- Quality of life improved significantly in the CBD-treated group, with no serious adverse events reported
- Burning mouth syndrome typically causes tingling, numbing, and scalding sensations in the mouth, tongue, and lips with limited treatment options
- Study included 26 patients in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial at an orofacial pain clinic
- Larger clinical trials needed to confirm efficacy, but findings suggest CBD may help patients resistant to conventional treatments
Patients with the chronic oral pain condition burning mouth syndrome who were treated with cannabidiol (CBD) oil appeared to have less pain and a better quality of life. The study was published in Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology and Oral Radiology.
Although larger double-blind trials with longer follow-up need to be conducted to confirm efficacy, these findings suggest that CBD oil may be an encouraging form of therapy for burning mouth syndrome, the authors wrote.
“Treatment with full-spectrum cannabidiol oil was associated with significant reductions in pain intensity, pain impact, and impairment in oral health-related quality of life in patients with burning mouth syndrome,” wrote the authors, led by Guilherme Klein Parise of the Federal University of Paraná in Brazil (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol, July 24, 2026).
Few effective treatments are available for burning mouth syndrome, which typically causes a tingling, numbing, and scalding sensation in the mouth, tongue, and lips. Although CBD has emerged as a possible therapy, little clinical evidence is available.
To explore the effectiveness and safety of CBD oil, a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial including 26 patients was conducted at an outpatient clinic for orofacial pain. Of these patients, half received CBD oil; the other half were given a placebo, according to the study.
A visual analogue scale was used to measure pain intensity and impact, and oral health-related quality of life was evaluated using the Oral Health Impact Profile-14.
The patients treated with CBD oil showed dramatic decreases in pain intensity and impact over time, with between-group differences from the third assessment onward (p < 0.001). However, these factors remained stable in the placebo group, the authors wrote.
In the CBD group, quality of life improved significantly (p = 0.001). Additionally, no patients appeared to experience serious adverse events, they wrote.
Unfortunately, the study was not without shortcomings, including its small sample size and single-blind design, the authors wrote.
“Full spectrum cannabidiol oil significantly reduced pain and improved quality of life in patients with burning mouth syndrome, with good tolerability, suggesting a promising therapeutic option for individuals refractory to conventional treatments,” Parise and colleagues wrote.
