What’s the Impact of Electronic Cigarettes on Oral Health?

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What’s the Impact of Electronic Cigarettes on Oral Health In Mackay At Plaza Dental
This scribe has recently been privy to a large labour workforce contracted by the government and has witnessed first hand the popularity of vapes and E-cigarettes, especially with the younger members. These things are seen as tobacco replacements and are growing in popularity with working Australians. The entrenched nature of smoking on the job can be illustrated by the fact that blue collar jobs call their work-breaks ‘smoko.’

“The black market for illicit tobacco and vaping products has been driven by economic forces on both the supply and demand side. On the demand side, smokers are disproportionately concentrated among lower socio-economic groups. Many are unable or unwilling to pay the ever-increasing prices for cigarettes. People who vape are also largely rejecting the government’s prescription model, with 87% reporting they source their vapes illegally.”
– The Conversation

What’s the impact of electronic cigarettes on oral health? There are not enough studies, as of yet, to make definitive calls but this paucity of data is no reason for complacency either.

Delving Into The Dental Consequences Of Vaping

Vapes and electronic cigarettes have this tacit appeal to many as an improvement in the bad habit stakes from smoking tobacco. This has been encouraged by the companies behind them to boost sales, but whilst smoking is worse for your health there is no clear evidence to assume that vapes are safe. So, what’s the impact of electronic e-cigarettes on oral health?

“Electronic cigarettes (e cigarettes) are widely available, and their use is increasing worldwide. They are promoted as a safer alternative to combustible cigarette smoking and as an effective smoking cessation aid. E cigarettes are designed to provide smokers with the desired nicotine dose without burning tobacco. They contain flavoured humectants that include nicotine in concentrations of 0–36 mg/mL.”
– Dental News

One of the damaging outcomes of smoking is the negative effects it has on human mouths. Cancers are prevalent in the oral cavity and the lips from smoking. In addition, dry mouth caused by smoking exacerbates the bad bacterial growth which seriously damages oral health. Gum disease is a common outcome.

Electronic E-Cigarettes & Their Dangers For Oral Health

Vaping produces a vapour rather than smoke, hence the name. Whilst it may be preferable to the effects of smoke from combustible cigarettes it will not be entirely harmless either. Rather this vape will have impacts of its own to consider. A recent review by Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia – Professor, Groupe de Recherche en Écologie Buccale, Faculté de médecine dentaire, Université Laval, Québec, looks into the credible studies into vaping undertaken so far.

“This review summarises scientific publications related to the interaction of e cigarettes with the oral cavity and the possible promotion of oral disease with the use of e cigarettes. For this purpose, we selected peer-reviewed articles using several search terms and databases, between 2012 and 2020. PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar were searched using the following groups of terms (electronic cigarette and oral health), (electronic cigarette and oral health and smoking), (electronic cigarette and oral health and smoking and nicotine replacement therapy), (electronic cigarette and oral health and smoking and cessation), (electronic cigarette and periodontal diseases), and (electronic cigarette and dental caries).“
– Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia, Dental News, 2021

Humanity’s love affair with technology continues apace with E-cigarettes. There is this modern cultural obsession with the electronic and digital worlds. Somehow, things are seen as better and safer if they are high tech. An app for every human problem and a device to make things easier, such is the common belief. What is the real data telling us about vaping and electronic cigarettes?

Health Testing Done On E-Cigarettes

“E Cigarettes May Promote Periodontal Disease: In a clinical study46 involving 3 groups (33 cigarette smokers, 31 e cigarette users and 30 never-smokers), full-mouth plaque index and a probing depth > 4 mm were significantly higher among combustible cigarette smokers, followed by e cigarette users, compared with non-smokers. Gingival pain was also reported more often by combustible cigarette smokers than by e cigarettes users. However, although periodontal inflammation and self-perceived oral symptoms were higher with CCS, e cigarettes also contributed to adverse periodontal health for their users.”
– Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia, Dental News, 2021

It is early days yet in terms of available data regarding vaping and electronic cigarette usage. There are not the long term usage studies because it is a relatively new practice among human beings.

What’s the Impact of Electronic Cigarettes on Oral Health At Mackay In Plaza Dental
Fruity & Sweet Disguises For Vapes

One of the clearest negative factors emerging is flavoured e-cigarettes and what they contain. Making vaping more palatable and attractive by sweetening the recipe is a strong trend occurring globally. Similarly, to the popularity of alcoholic soft drinks this marketing strategy is aimed at younger people. Indeed, more children are inclined to try vaping with fruity and sweet flavourings in the mix. These can hide the presence of the addictive substance nicotine. Who else is considering the impact of electronic cigarettes on oral health?

At Queensland Health, Chief Dental Officer Dr Mark Brown noted that there is increasing evidence that vaping may impact oral health and that the use of e-cigarettes, with or without nicotine, are not recommended.

“It’s not only tobacco smoking that can affect oral health and have other health risks. When vape juice is heated it can potentially damage enamel and irritate soft tissue. As the ingredients tend to be thick and sticky, vapers may be at a higher risk of developing tooth decay and gum disease,” Dr Brown said.

“Vape juice contains propylene glycol (PG) and vegetable glycerine (VG). While these are common food additives, when consumed through a vape, PG breaks down to be acidic which can erode / dissolve / soften tooth enamel and promote growth of plaque and harmful bacteria.”
– Queensland Health

Bottom line is that whatever we put inside our mouth has an impact upon our teeth and gums. Habitual behaviour obviously increases those effects upon our oral health. We all have innately addictive psychologies – it is the human condition. Therefore, we have to be vigilant about such stuff rather than complacent in the face of fashions and trends. You have to ask yourself whether the short term gratification of performing this oral ritual is worth it if it permanently damages your teeth and gum health. People smoke and drink in social settings as ritualised behaviours. Sharing these things is important to them but could they be sharing safer and healthier behaviours instead? Throw in capitalism and big business trying to make a buck out of it complicates things further. Those in the health sector are having to combat the power and influence of a corporatised free market.

“…enamel exposed to flavoured e cigarette aerosols showed decreased hardness, compared with that exposed to unflavoured controls. This bacteria-initiated enamel demineralisation was associated with high levels of esters (ethyl butyrate, hexyl acetate and triacetin) found in e cigarette liquids. Because commercial e cigarette liquids contain several additives at various levels, including sucrose, sugar substitutes and acids, interactions with teeth could vary from one liquid to another.”
– Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia, Dental News, 2021

Companies Profiting From Masked Recreational Substances

The scourge attacking our youth today can be characterised as wolves hiding in sheep’s clothing. High levels of alcohol hiding beneath sweet flavourings in alcoholic soft drinks are a major factor in increased health problems facing women. In an untampered world increasing the amount of alcohol in a premixed drink would taste bitter but disguising it via sweet fruity mixes presents a false narrative for unsuspecting and naïve drinkers. The same can be said about fruity vapes and what they hide in their chemical makeups. Thus, we have kids slurping and puffing away and doing damage to themselves at an early age in unprecedented volumes. What the long term effects of this will be we don’t really know but it won’t be good. Companies are making good profits from this and you might have shares in these brewing multinationals and tobacco giants. The ball is in your court to find out and whether you do something about it. Governments cannot do it all alone.

The Many Horsemen of Your Dental Apocalypse

Do we yet know the impact of electronic cigarettes on oral health? They are definitely not as bad for your mouth, teeth and gums as combustible cigarettes. Drinking too much coffee is not good for your oral health. Too much alcohol is much worse. Habitual consumption of drugs and substances beyond safe levels are bad for your oral health. Drink pure water for best results. Keep your mouth moistened to avoid dry mouth, which is a major factor in bad bacteria growth causing gum disease and tooth decay.

Treat your body with respect and it will serve you better over the long term.

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The content has been made available for informational and educational purposes only. Plaza Dental does not make any representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy, applicability, fitness, or completeness of the content.

The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional personal diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a dental or medical condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay seeking it because of something you have read or seen on the Site.

 

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