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Marijuana smokers face greater risk of gum disease
last updated: February 25, 2008 04:14:03 AM
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It may not just give you a bad case of the munchies: Regular marijuana smoking appears to increase young adults' risk of gum disease, a problem typically associated with aging.
As part of a long-term health study, a team led by researchers at the Dunedin School of Medicine in New Zealand followed about 900 people born in 1972 and 1973 to assess the effects of marijuana on periodontal disease.
While it is well known that cigarette smoking and spotty use of dental services are risk factors for gum problems that can lead to inflammation and eventual tooth loss, the role of marijuana alone had not been examined previously.
The report, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, also found that heavy cannabis users were more likely to be men of lower socioeconomic status who visited the dentist infrequently.
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