Vaping has been coined as the healthier option to smoking regular cigarettes or pipes, but just because its healthier does not mean its healthy. Vaping and e-cigarette devices like the Juul are becoming increasingly popular but the research regarding the oral health implications hasn’t followed suit.
How Does Vaping Effect Teeth and Gums?
There is ample research that suggests that vaping can have a variety of negative effects on your oral health.
Some of the effects include:
Excess Bacteria
A 2018 study, found that teeth that had been exposed to e-cigarette aerosol had more bacteria than those that hadn’t. The main differences were found in between the crevices of the teeth. A buildup of bacteria on the teeth can lead to a plethora of dental problems including gum disease, cavities, and tooth decay.
Dry Mouth
The chemical liquids that are in e-cigarettes like propylene glycol can cause mouth dryness. Mouth dryness occurs when there is not enough saliva in the mouth. Many conditions can arise from chronic dry mouth such as bad breath, tooth decay, mouth sores and ulcers.
Gum Inflammation
A study done in 2016 suggests that using e-cigarettes can trigger an inflammatory response in gum tissues. The chemicals found in the vape liquid aggravate the oral tissue over time. When people are vaping every hour, or even every couple of minutes, this can be detrimental. Ongoing gum inflammation can be painful and is associated with various periodontal diseases.
Cell Death
A 2018 study suggest that vaping can increase the DNA damage in gums. This can cause cells to lose their power to divide and grow, which can speed up cell aging and result in cell death. Vaping can play a major role in common oral health issues like:
- periodontal diseases
- bone loss
- tooth loss
- dry mouth
- bad breath
- tooth decay
The Major Risk
You may have heard of the stories about popular e-cigarettes, like the Juul exploding in people’s faces.
If not, here’s a little crash course:
In 2018, a 24 year old man was killed when his vape pen explored in his face and a piece of it severed his jugular vein. Okay wow, this type of incident is rare, but vape pens exploding are not. It is estimated that there were over 2000 incidents of vape pens exploding between the years of 2015 and 2017. Many of the incidents are serious and lead to damaging oral soft tissue as well as breaking teeth. “The problem lies within the vape pen and the lithium batteries overheating and exploding. These explosions are usually attributed to improper charging of the device or have been linked to a type of device called a mechanical mod that has no internal safety and can overheat and explode.”
Our Take
When it comes to vaping, we’d say that moderation is key. Like anything, too much of something is never good. If you’re an adult vaping to quit the smoking habit, then great. we encourage you on your journey. However, high school aged children should be advised to skip vaping and juuling as the younger you start, the harder it will be to kick the habit in the future. More vaping leads to a higher potential of developing any of the oral problems mentioned above.
Your Dental Health
When it comes to your health, both that of your mouth and your overall well-being, trust in the dentists at Gentle Dental Family Care. Your dentist will be able to identify any symptoms and send you to the right professionals for further care. Gentle Dental Family Care is the best dental practice in the Kew Gardens, Queens NY 11415 area and we are open on Sundays as well as late evenings. For a teeth cleaning or exam, we recommend coming into the office to book an appointment with one of our talented dental professionals. All new patients may also take advantage of our $99 Cleaning Special that includes an exam and x-rays. To set up your appointment give us a call at (718) 849-9797. We also welcome walk-ins, to accommodate patients with a busy schedule. We hope to see you soon!
