We have been hearing for decades how dangerous smoking is to many aspects of our health. As dental professionals, our focus is particularly on the dangers to oral health, including unsightly stains on teeth at the less serious end of the spectrum, to a massively increased risk of tooth decay and gum disease, to life-threatening oral cancer. More recently, vaping and e-cigarettes have emerged as an alternative, but are they any better?

Because these particular nicotine delivery mechanisms are so new, there is not as much data about their effects, but the evidence far shows a link between e-cigarettes and poor oral health. No matter how nicotine is consumed, it restricts blood flow to the gums, contributing to gum disease. A recent iScience study showed that far more e-cigarette users have gum disease than non-users.

It's difficult to know the long-term dangers to something so new, but researchers are seeing periodontal disease (typically an adult disease) in younger patients who vape, as well as an increase in cavities.

The term "vape" is also misleading. This isn't water vapor that contains nicotine, it works more like aerosol — essentially nicotine hairspray, for the mouth. That does not sound as appetizing, does it?

The more you know, the more you grow. To learn more, please call our office at 267.991.9690.