Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth?
Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth?
The long-term effect on health and safety of using e-cigarettes and other vaping products is still not well known. In the fall of 2019, federal and state health authorities began investigating an outbreak of a severe lung disease associated with e-cigarettes and other vaping products. As research progresses, content may need to be updated as more information is available.
Considerations with Vaping
Using vaping products or e-cigarettes can have a negative effect on your teeth and overall oral health. With that said, vaping seems to pose fewer oral health risks than smoking regular cigarettes.
Over the past decade, e-cigarettes and vaping have become increasingly popular, but research hasn’t quite caught up.
Although research and studies have been ongoing, there is still much unknown about the long-term effects of e-cigarettes.
Read further in this article to find out what we do know about potential side effects, e- liquid ingredients to avoid, and more.
How Can Vaping Affect Your Gums & Teeth?
Research suggests that vaping may have a negative effect on your gums and teeth. These effects include:
Bacteria
In one study done in 2018, researchers found that teeth that had been exposed to e-cigarette aerosol had more bacteria than those that hadn’t. It was noticeably greater in the crevices and pits of teeth. Having too much bacteria is associated with cavities, tooth decay, and gum disease.
Dry mouth
Mouth dryness can be caused by some e-cigarette liquids, particularly propylene glycol. Bad breath, mouth sores, and tooth decay are all associated with chronic dry mouth.
Inflamed gums
One study from 2016 suggests that when you use an e-cig, it can trigger an inflammatory response in gum tissues.
Having inflammation in the gums is known for being associated with various periodontal diseases.
Overall irritation
According to a review done in 2014, vaping can cause throat and mouth irritation. Irritation symptoms may include tenderness, swelling, and redness in the gums.
Cell Regeneration
According to a review from 2018, live cell studies of human gums suggest that the aerosols from vaping can increase DNA damage and cause inflammation. This leads to cells losing their power to divide and grow. This can speed up cell aging which results in cell death.
This may play a role in oral health issues such as:
- tooth decay
- bad breath
- tooth loss
- dry mouth
- bone loss
- periodontal diseases
More long-term research is necessary to be able to understand how vaping-related cell death can affect oral health.
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