The rise in popularity of cannabis-derived products has led to a plethora of CBD- and THC-infused products from coffee to hamburgers. Now, a Thousand Oaks dentist and entrepreneur is bringing a CBD-infused mouthwash to clinical trials and is seeking volunteers.
Greg Rubin, DDS, is the founder of CBDual Biotechnology Corp., owned by publicly traded THC Farmaceuticals. Rubin says that five years ago, he discovered medical features of cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD, the non-psychotropic compound found in cannabis and hemp plants. With 35 years’ experience as a dentist and inventor, Rubin says that reading the literature and research on CBD’s proven ability to reduce inflammation and bone loss, as well as its natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, lead him to believe that CBD would be a good tool to use in the national battle against gum disease.
Periodontal disease is not rare. According to the Centers for Disease Control, in a 2012 study, nearly half of all Americans over the age of 30 have periodontitis, the advanced stage of periodontal disease.
CBDual, in partnership with Thousand Oaks-based 1000 Smiles Dental Group dental practice, opened its CBD Clinical Research Facility at the Regency Medical Plaza on April 16 with the goal of performing clinical trials on CBD-based dental hygiene products, specifically, a mouthwash.
Rubin says that anyone with teeth and gums can volunteer for the clinical trial. Subjects will visit the Thousand Oaks office to receive their monthly allotment of the mouth wash and return for regular measurements and to record signs of clinical improvement. During a clinical trial, patient compliance is key, says Rubin, and thus supplies of the mouthwash will come equipped with a Bluetooth enabled cap that will report when the bottle is opened and how much is used. Rubin says that research conducted at the facility will be submitted to peer-reviewed scientific journals.
“The ultimate goal is to develop a mouthwash with CBD that will allow you as a patient to take care of the problem at home,” said Rubin. “There’s a reason [gum disease] is the most prevalent disease in the United States. Most people think that when you brush and floss, it’s like magic wand, you won’t have a problem and that’s not true.”
Gum disease is caused by bacteria. Rubin finds fault in the dentist-recommended deep cleaning every six months, likening it to washing your car only to find the following day dirt has accumulated.
“We developed medications based on CBD that will allow you as a consumer to use it and to actually kill bacteria on a daily basis because that’s what we’re after,” said Rubin.
Federally, cannabis-derived products are still in a gray-area regarding legality, but the CBDual mouthwash utilizes CBD derived from hemp. In 2018, the Hemp Farming Act of 2018 was included in the passage of the U.S. Farm Bill, changing hemp from a controlled substance to an agricultural commodity. Rubin says that all of the pharmaceuticals produced by CBDual will use hemp-derived CBD.
“Nobody has ever tested clinically how CBD works on gums,” said Rubin, noting that while animal testing has been performed, there have been no tests on humans. “We’re going to be pioneers.”
If you’re interested in joining the wait list for potential inclusion in the clinical trials, visit cbdual.com or 1000smiles.la, or call 805-454-1000.
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