A lot of people think vaping is safe because vaping gadgets don’t have tobacco smoke in them like cigarettes do.
Not many people know how dangerous vaping is. Vaping is the act of breathing vapour that contains nicotine and other chemicals that could be harmful.
Worryingly, these chemicals can hurt your lungs and heart in a way that can’t be fixed.
But what about your mouth health? Does vaping hurt your teeth and gums?
Yes!
People who vape are more likely to get cavities and other oral problems.
Even though there hasn’t been a lot of study done yet, what we do know warns us that vaping is bad for our oral health.
We’ll talk more about these risks below. For now, let’s talk about what smoking is.
How do you vape?
Vaping devices, which are also known as electronic cigarettes, heat up specially made liquids to make a mist that the user inhales. The battery-powered gadgets are many types and sizes, and they look like cigarettes, cigars, pens, USB sticks, and more.
Vapours come in a lot of different types, and the labels don’t always show the full list of ingredients.
Most vaping products have nicotine in them, which comes from tobacco and is thought to be the worst thing for your teeth. In Australia, you need a prescription to buy a nicotine vape. However, smoking aerosols that you can get without a prescription can also hurt your mouth. Usually, these have flavourings and sweeteners in them, along with substances that aren’t controlled and are linked to health problems.
Some examples are
Things that are heavy, like arsenic, lead, and aluminium
The poison formaldehyde and other
Organic compounds that are volatile and can be found in cleaning goods
Particles very small (bad for lungs)
It’s a shame that smoking has become popular, especially among young people.
A study from 2017 found that about 14% of Australians aged 12 to 17 have tried an e-cigarette.
This is a worry in other parts of the world too.
A paediatrics professor at Stanford University named Bonnie Halpern-Felsher says that teens and young adults vape all the time.
Teenagers have told us that they’ll take hits in the middle of the night, but this is just a story.
“They vape all night by putting their device under their pillow.”
Is it bad for your teeth to vape? (yes, according to the study)
Since vaping didn’t become popular until around 2010, scientists haven’t had time to look into the long-term risks.
That being said, there is already strong proof that vaping is linked to bad oral health.
We know that vaping changes the oral microbiome, which is a group of bacteria that live in your mouth. This makes you more likely to get cavities and gum disease.
The heat from e-cigarettes, even ones without nicotine, makes the mouth warm, which is great for bad germs to grow. Plus, it looks like adding nicotine makes these problems worse!
Oral health issues that are often linked to vaping:
Spaces for
Bad breath
Wearing away of enamel
Inflammation and dry mouth
Some research in the field says the following:
A recent study from the School of Dental Medicine found that people who use smoking devices have a “significantly” higher chance of getting cavities.
The group looked at information from over 13,000 people. A lot of people who vaped had a high chance of death, compared to only 60% of people in the control group.
The lead author, Dr. Krusa, wants more research to be done because these are just basic results.
“This isn’t proof for sure, but people should know what we’re seeing,” she said.
A different study found that 43% of people who vape had gum disease and mouth infections, while only 28% of people who don’t vape or smoke did.
As an interesting side note, this study shows that the percentage of mouth health problems is higher among vapers (43%), but not as high as among daily smokers (73%).
It’s bad for your teeth and gums to vape.
It is known that vaping makes the bacteria in your mouth less healthy.
Think about how smoking cuts off blood flow to the gums, which makes gum disease more likely. The risk is raised even more by toxins used in vaping, like benzene and formaldehyde.
Another possibility is that the sugar in vaping formula, which sticks to teeth when breathed, is to blame. Vaping fumes can make your mouth a better place for bad bacteria to live and can even cause decay at the bottom of your front teeth, which doesn’t usually happen there.
How to stop and treat
Dentists often ask patients, even kids, if they use vaping devices because it’s so important.
And if the answer is yes, patients might benefit from being given high-strength fluoride toothpaste and mouthwash to keep germs away.
Of course, the best thing to do is to stop smoking for good, so that the damage doesn’t happen in the first place.
Talk to your doctor or call the Quitline in your state or territory (which is free in NSW; 13 78 48). If you or your teen are having a hard time giving up vaping.
There are things you can do to protect your mouth health even if you don’t stop vaping.
Every morning and night, brush your teeth and gums.
Every day, floss.
Make sure you drink enough water.
To keep your mouth from drying out, chew sugar-free gum.
A small amount of alcohol (or none at all)
Do not use drugs for fun.
People who vape should see their doctor at least twice a year to make sure that any cavities are taken care of before the bacteria spreads and is harder to control.