Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth? 7 Things to Know About Its Effects on Your Oral Health

The harmful impacts of smoking on our health are well documented. People are aware that tobacco use in any form is bad for their overall health in general and dental health in particular.

However, there are many who believe e-cigarettes are not harmful or les harmful in comparison to smoking. Some find vaping cool as it’s seen a latest trend with youths hooked to it like never before.

In fact, vaping is seen as a healthier alternative smoking which is not correct. Although heavy-duty research is yet to go deep into the subject, whatever little has been done confirms that vaping is equally bad for dental health.

In vaping, people inhale the vapours that e-cigarettes produce and believe that it’s less harmful. Unlike smoking, vaping does not produce lots of raw smoke, but the dissimilarity ends right there.

Don’t forget, with vaping you’re still inhaling tobacco quite like traditional cigarettes so some problems will definitely come. Add to that, the flavouring and colour additives used can bring harms as well.

You however need to understand a few things –

  • Nicotine in any form, whether smoking or vaping, can reduce blood blow and affect mouth’s ability to fight off bacteria
  • When your mouth is not able to kill bacteria, there will always be risks of serious gum infection or periodontal disease
  • Vaping can release inflammatory proteins in the gum tissue which might cause serious oral health issues
  • The use of flavours in e-cigarettes can cause damage to the cells in the moth
  • Vaping can be harmful for your respiratory system in the way as smoking does

Clearly, vaping is not a healthier option to smoking as it’s presented to us and it’s always better to stay away from them.

Effects of Vaping on Your Oral Health

Vaping can have negative effects on your oral health in more ways than you could think. So, take step to cut back on their use and stay healthy.

Here are some of effects –

Excess bacteria

Vaping can lead to more bacteria in the mouth which is not always a good scenario from your dental health point of view. The exposure to e-cigarette aerosol is responsible for the presence of more bacteria on the mouth. And when more bacteria are present in the pits and crevices of the teeth, it can increase the risk of tooth decay and cavities.

Dry mouth

Dry mouth is one of side effects of vaping. Some e-cigarettes have propylene glycol which could lead to the problem of dry mouth. In general, bad breath is one of reasons of dry mouth. Even tooth decay can cause dry mouth. Lack of hydration is one of reasons why dry mouth persists for longer than it should.

Inflamed gums

Even with traditional form of smoking, there is always risk of gum inflammation. The same is true when you do vape as e-cigarette can lead to inflammatory response in gum tissues. Your gum is sensitive and constant exposure to aerosol can make it inflamed. Various periodontal diseases are also responsible for causing inflamed gums which could put your overall dental health in jeopardy.

Mouth and throat irritation

Vaping is not a good or healthy alternative to smoking. The earlier you understand this the better. Several studies suggest that it can lead to mouth and throat infection. People who vape can experience tenderness and swelling to their gums. In some cases, redness to the gums is also reported among those who use e-cigarettes. So, it’s better to ditch the habit and stay on top of your oral health.

Gum recession

Vaping on a regular basis might reduce the amount of blood that flows through veins. And when blood flow is not sufficient, it could deprive the gums of oxygen and nutrients required to keep them healthy. Similarly, the nicotine that vaping brings in can make the gum tissues dead. And when gum tissues die, it can lead to gum recession.

Bad Breath

Nicotine is bad for your oral health. It’s a vasoconstrictor and can negatively impact saliva production in the body. And when saliva is produced less, there is always a greater risk of bacterial build up. Your mouth is dehydrated, and it can’t flush out food debris and germs stuck within. When that happens, chances of bad breath go up considerably.

Teeth grinding

Vaping can cause you grind your teeth more than you normally do. The nicotine in e-cigarettes can work as a stimulant and get the muscles worked up. In fact, studies show that people who are fond of vaping are more likely to grind their teeth and thus are more susceptible to teeth decay. So, book a dentist appointment today and talk to the dentist about risks that vaping can have on your dental health in overall sense.

 

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Author
Praveen Singh is a writer and blogger, and a professional interested in sharing interesting ideas with the world. His blogs give a peek into things that aim to inform, enrich and entertain the readers. He loves sharing views on anything that provides value to the readers and helps broaden their horizon.
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