While warnings about vaporizers seem to focus on potential dangers to the heart and lungs, it’s also important to note that study after study show the chemicals in vaporizers or “vapes” are just as dangerous to your mouth.
Nicotine, which is mixed with chemicals inside vapes, restricts blood flow to the gums and may cause periodontal disease. The mouth is the window to other systems within the body and decay or bacteria living there can be transported to other organs leading to potential complications beyond oral health.
A study published earlier this year in the journal iScience showed that 43% of people using e-cigarettes had gum disease and oral infections. That figure was higher among smokers – 73% – but only 28% among people who neither smoked nor vaped.1
Another study published in May in Science Advances concluded the oral microbiome – the vast collection of friendly bacteria, viruses and other microbes that live in the mouth – of e-cigarette users without gum disease looked a lot like the microbiome of people with periodontitis.
Two preliminary studies presented in February at the American Stroke Association's International Stroke Conference linked gum disease with a higher rate of strokes caused by hardening of large arteries in the brain and also with severe artery blockages. A 2018 study in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension found that gum disease appears to worsen high blood pressure and interferes with medications to treat hypertension.
In 2019, the American Dental Association issued this statement on vaping, "Vaping is not a safe alternative to cigarettes or other tobacco products," said ADA President Chad Gehani, D.D.S. "When it comes to your teeth and gums, vaping could be just as dangerous as cigarette smoking."
If you are vaping, you should quit. There are several support options available online and tips to get you closer to your goal. Some resources include:
- The SAMSHA national hotline - confidential free help from public health agencies to find substance use treatment and information - 1 (800) 662-4357.
- Quit Assist - if you decide to quit using tobacco and have questions, need to talk, are ready to plan your quit day, or want to chat online with a counselor, connect with QuitAssist® resources to personalize your path to a tobacco-free life. Visit www.quitassist.com.
- The Truth Quitting Initiative - The first-of-its-kind program to help young people quit vaping. The Truth Quitting Initiative has helped over 600,000 youth and young adults on their journey to quit vaping. Learn more about how it works and the additional resources available for parents of young vapers and for adults who want to quit. Visit: https://truthinitiative.org/thisisquitting or text DITCHVAPING to 88709.
About Belle Meade Dental
Belle Meade Family Dental serves patients in Flowood, Brandon and the surrounding areas of Rankin County. We offer same-day crowns, cosmetic and restorative procedures, cleaning and prevention services, dental implants, tooth extraction and facial aesthetic services. At Belle Meade Family Dental, we aim to provide the ultimate patient experience with the highest level of quality care.
1 https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/08/26/need-another-reason-not-to-vape-your-oral-health-is-at-risk, Accessed January 25, 2024.