Over the past few years, e-cigarette use has grown in the United States, and is a potentially dangerous trend among US adolescents. Vapor flavorings like gummy bear and cotton candy have often attracted adolescents to try e-cigarettes, exposing them to nicotine and other toxic chemicals in the process.
Instead of a conventional cigarette that produces smoke, vaping uses an electronic cigarette – or “e-cig” – that produces vapor. The electronic cigarette consists of a heating element to heat “vape juice” where the nicotine and other elements are housed. Initially, they may think vaping is less dangerous than using other tobacco products, such as cigarettes, but the amount of nicotine in the liquid can be the same or in some cases even more than the amount found in cigarettes.
Why smokers switch from tobacco to vaping
Many concerned smokers are making the switch to e-cigs and vaping instead, seeking to avoid the various health issues—including oral health—that come with tobacco use. The thought is that Vaping is safer overall and having a reduced risk of gum and teeth damage. Initially, it was believed that since vaping generates a smokeless vapor, it would be better for everyone.
However, its effects on the body are not yet fully understood; studies are still being conducted on whether vaping is better for your mouth than smoking, but overall conclusions are unclear. Many of these studies contradict each other, and several criticisms arise regarding the conditions present, which opponents say do not resemble actual usage of e-cigs—in vitro testing of cells from human gums disregard their natural environment, studies implicating e-liquids in the formation of formaldehyde and other toxins involve burning temperatures far higher than what would be used in practice.
There are no dental health benefits to vaping
Still, vaping does not offer any benefits to dental health. One of the problems is that vaping still brings users into contact with nicotine. This significantly reduces blood flow, restricting the supply of nutrients and oxygen to the soft tissues of the mouth. When the e-cigarette vapors are burned, it causes the release of inflammatory proteins in the gum tissue which can result in oral diseases such as periodontists. Infection, decay rates, and other problems all can be accelerated. Over an extended period, tooth loss and other health problems can result from vaping.
In conclusion, e-cigs are a much newer trend than cigarettes, so data on long-term use is not readily available, and a broad conclusion is hard to make.
