Among middle and high school students, 3.6 million were current users of e-cigarettes in 2020. If your teen isn’t aware of how vaping affects teeth, along with the myriad of destructive effects it has on the overall body, now is the time for education. Nicotine reduces blood flow, which impacts your teeth and gums. Absent of the proper blood flow in through your veins, gums can’t receive the oxygen and nutrients they need to remain healthy. Vaping causes the death of gum tissues, triggering gum recession and gum disease.
When you think about the dangers of e-cigarettes, you probably think about your lungs before you think about your teeth. But, the reality is, e-cigarettes are very unhealthy for your teeth and gums. The reason has to do with how e-cigarettes function. E-cigarettes heat up the liquid they contain, then convert into vapors that you inhale. But, the mechanism behind heating the vapors dries out your mouth, encouraging the growth of cavitiy-causing bacteria.
But, it doesn’t stop there. Vaping inflames your gum tissue and has been linked to gum disease, bone loss and cavities.
“We know cigarettes can cause cardiovascular disease, lung disease and cancer and that they dramatically increase your chances of getting gum disease by 400%,” reports CNET.
The nicotine in e-cigarettes reduces blood flow. Reduced blood flow to your gums impacts the delivery of nutrients and oxygen to your gum tissue. This can lead to gum disease and tooth loss. Restricted blood flow also makes it more difficult for your mouth to fight infection and renew connective tissue.
Propylene Glycol (PG) is one of the main components in vape juice. While it is true that PG is “safe” to both inhale and eat, when it is consumed orally, it converts into acids that break down enamel and inlames soft tissue. It is also another instigator of dry mouth, a leading cause of cavities and disease.
The FDA reports that more than 8 out of 10 current youth users of e-cigarettes use flavor e-cigarettes, with fruit, mint, candy, and menthol flavors among the most commonly used. But, research shows that some of the vaping flavorings, like vegetable glycerin (VG) for example, cause some serious issues with your teeth. In fact, VG augments the number of microbes that stick ot teeth by four times and also doubles the growth of biofilm. Vaping flavors cause a 27 percent decrease in the hardness of tooth enamel.
According to Healthline’s 2018 review, studies of live human gum cells show that vaping aerosols increases inflammation and DNA damage. This DNA damage breeds cells unable to divide and grow, promting accelerated cell aging and cell death. What does this have to do with your oral health? This cellular damage can lead to oral health issues like:
The effects of vaping on oral health (and overall health) are just too great to risk.
Parents, talk to your children about the dangers of vaping; dangers that impact not just on their oral health, but on their overall health as well. We are here to back you up! Let’s work together to keep them healthy and happy! Call Li’l Sunshine Smiles at 813-576-0200 today to schedule a dental exam today!