The Dental Health Dangers of Vaping

Vaping, or the use of e-cigarettes, has becoming increasingly popular, especially among youth. In fact, according to the National Youth Tobacco Survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2020, approximately 19.6% of high school students and 4.7% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes in the past 30 days. The survey also found that flavored e-cigarettes were the most commonly used type of tobacco product among youth.

In addition, according to a report by the World Health Organization (WHO), the global e-cigarette market was valued at $14.7 billion in 2019 and is expected to grow significantly in the coming years. The report also notes that the number of e-cigarette users worldwide is estimated to be around 35 million.

Why E-Cigarettes Aren’t Better for Your Oral Health

Many people feel better about using battery-powered cigarettes because they do not contain tobacco and they don’t produce smoke. While vaping can significantly reduce many of the consequences of traditional smoking, such as lung cancer and tooth stains, it does not make you exempt from complications towards your smile health.

E-cigarettes still contain nicotine, which is derived from the tobacco plant. Although the amount of nicotine used may be small, studies show that nicotine, whether from a traditional cigarette or other means, can have a negative impact on the mouth, gums and tongue.

Ways Vaping Can Harm Your Smile

Vaping can harm your dental health in several ways:

• Dry mouth: Vaping can cause dry mouth, which reduces saliva flow. Saliva helps to neutralize acids produced by bacteria in your mouth, which can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.
• Gum disease: The nicotine in e-cigarettes can cause inflammation in your gums, leading to gum disease. This can cause your gums to recede, exposing the roots of your teeth and making them more vulnerable to decay.
• Tooth decay: Vaping liquids often contain high levels of sugar, which can increase the risk of tooth decay. In addition, the acidic nature of some vaping liquids can erode tooth enamel, leading to cavities.
• Oral cancer: Some studies suggest that vaping may increase the risk of oral cancer. This is because some e-cigarette liquids contain harmful chemicals, such as formaldehyde, which can damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer.

In summary, vaping can harm your dental health in several ways, including causing dry mouth, gum disease, tooth decay, and increasing the risk of oral cancer.

Trust Your Dentist in Acworth

If you’ve switched from smoking to vaping, we don’t want you to be ignorant to the ways in which your habit can compromise your dental health. If you have already noticed dental health issues due to your smoking or vaping habit, let us help you at Dental Care Acworth. We have services to reverse gum disease, tooth stains, dry mouth, cavities and more.