Topical CBD Gel Improved Sleep and Reduced Migraine Disability in Bruxism Patients | Research

The takeaway

In a double-blind RCT of 60 bruxism patients, both 5% and 10% CBD gel applied to jaw muscles nightly for 30 days significantly improved sleep quality and reduced migraine-related disability compared to placebo, with dose-dependent improvements.

Dentists, TMJ specialists, sleep medicine practitioners, and patients with bruxism-related symptoms.

What the researchers found

Both 5% and 10% CBD gel groups showed statistically significant improvements in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Migraine Disability Assessment scores compared to placebo (p < threshold), with 10% CBD showing the strongest effects. Objective measures (sEMG and Bruxoff) confirmed reduced muscle tension and bruxism intensity.

Why it matters

Bruxism is extremely common, affecting up to 31% of adults, and is linked to poor sleep and migraines. This RCT provides strong evidence that topical CBD can address multiple bruxism-related symptoms simultaneously, offering a non-systemic treatment option.

The numbers in context

60 participants, 3 groups of 20. 30-day treatment. Both 5% and 10% CBD significantly improved PSQI and MIDAS vs placebo. 10% CBD showed strongest dose-dependent effect. sEMG and Bruxoff confirmed objective improvement in muscle tension and bruxism intensity.

How the study worked

Randomized, double-blind clinical trial. 60 participants with bruxism allocated equally to placebo gel, 5% CBD gel, or 10% CBD gel (n=20 each). Applied intraorally to masseter muscles nightly for 30 days. Sleep quality (PSQI), migraine disability (MIDAS), muscle tension (sEMG), and bruxism intensity (Bruxoff) assessed.

What this study cannot tell us

Small per-group sample (n=20). 30-day follow-up may not reflect long-term outcomes. Intraoral application may not translate to other topical routes. Cannot determine which component of improvement (sleep, muscle relaxation, or pain) drove the others.

How to read the evidence

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with objective outcome measures, though small sample size limits generalizability.

When this study was published

Published 2025.

The bigger picture

Most bruxism treatments are passive (mouthguards) or have significant side effects (muscle relaxants, Botox). A topical CBD gel that improves sleep, reduces migraines, and relaxes jaw muscles could fill a major gap in bruxism management.

Questions still open

Would longer treatment periods show continued improvement? Is the topical route necessary, or would oral CBD work as well? Could this treatment prevent bruxism-related dental damage over time?

Common questions

How is CBD gel applied for bruxism?

Participants applied the gel directly to their masseter (jaw) muscles inside the mouth each night before bed for 30 days. This delivers CBD directly to the affected muscles without systemic exposure.

Why does treating bruxism improve sleep and migraines?

Bruxism, poor sleep, and migraines are interconnected — jaw clenching disrupts sleep, and chronic muscle tension triggers migraines. CBD gel may break this cycle by relaxing the muscles, which in turn improves sleep and reduces migraine triggers.

Read the original research

Expanding the Therapeutic Profile of Topical Cannabidiol in Temporomandibular Disorders: Effects on Sleep Quality and Migraine Disability in Patients with Bruxism-Associated Muscle Pain.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 18(7)

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Walczyńska-Dragon, Karolina; Fiegler-Rudol, Jakub; Baron, Stefan; Nitecka-Buchta, Aleksandra. (2025). Expanding the Therapeutic Profile of Topical Cannabidiol in Temporomandibular Disorders: Effects on Sleep Quality and Migraine Disability in Patients with Bruxism-Associated Muscle Pain.. Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland), 18(7). https://doi.org/10.3390/ph18071064