Vaping- It’s safe, right?
Vaping is substantially less harmful than smoking, we are all agreed! Did you know however it still has a profound affect on your teeth and gums?!
Vaping, not just a haze of flavoured sweet candy smoke surrounding many a teenager in the UK, vaping has a significant affect on your teeth and gums!
Firstly vaping leads to a dry mouth by reducing the salivary flow to the oral tissues. Saliva is vital in neutralising the acids and acidic conditions after consuming food and acts to wash away harmful bacteria in the mouth. This can subsequently increase the risk of tooth decay, gum disease and indeed bad breath! Not a breath perfumed from the often fruity/candy floss flavoured vape cloud surrounded the individual, but bad breath from tooth decay and active dental disease.
While e-cigarettes have removed many of the harmful chemicals from traditional cigarettes, nicotine in e-cigarettes causes the blood vessels in the gums to narrow, which reduces the amount of blood flow to the delicate oral tissues.
This in-turn affects the natural ability of the mouth to fight infections and replenish connective tissue leading to a higher risk of gum disease and tooth loss. I should also mention that the presence of gum disease is linked to so many systemic diseases such as heart disease, an increase risk of alzheimers disease, stroke and various cancers. Research demonstrates that men with a history of gum disease are 14% more likely to develop cancer than men with healthy gums!
Vaping also exposes your teeth to chemical such as formaldehyde, acrolein and acetaldehyde which are produced with e-liquids are heated. These chemical can erode tooth enamel, cause tooth sensitivity and even dentine tooth decay. Propylene glycol, when inhaled breaks down into acids and propionaldehyde, irritating soft tissues and further exacerbating the dry mouth, leading to cavities and gum disease.
As a cosmetic and restorative dentist in the urban city centre of Belfast we treat many millennial and Gen-Z patients. It is key for us at Paste to communicate the long term impact vaping can have and to give our patient’s the knowledge and tools to take control of their own health and to make choices they feel comfortable with, fully informed and free from judgement!
For those who vape it is so vital to maintain good oral hygiene, twice daily brushing, regular inter-dental cleaning and 6 monthly dental check-ups to ensure any issues are dealt with quickly and your oral hygiene is optimised to combat the effects of the vape!
