16 Nov How Does Vaping Affect Your Teeth and Gums?
Vaping has become a popular alternative to traditional smoking over the years, especially among teens and young adults. Many people think that e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, are safer and healthier than smoking cigarettes, but that is a dangerous myth. Although e-cigarettes do not contain tobacco, they still have a very high nicotine content and can have detrimental effects on your oral and overall health. Here’s what you should know about vaping and how it affects your mouth, gums, and teeth.
The Consequences of Nicotine
Regardless of how you consume it, nicotine is a substance that is harmful to your teeth, gums, and entire oral cavity. Oral nicotine ingestion can damage your oral health permanently, causing:
- Gum disease
- Tooth decay
- Dry mouth
- Tooth sensitivity
- Receding gums
- Cavities
How Does Vaping Affect My Oral Health?
Regularly vaping decreases saliva production and leads to dry mouth, which allows bacteria to thrive. Dry mouth also increases the risk of cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. If any of these issues become too severe, you may end up facing tooth loss, tooth extraction, root canals, or even dentures. Vaping might even cause your gums to recede, which exposes the more sensitive areas of your teeth to bacteria and increases your risk for tooth sensitivity and cavities.
Vaping and Gum Disease
One of the most detrimental effects that vaping can have on your oral health is that it puts you at a higher risk of periodontal (gum) disease. Excessive vaping can cause gum inflammation, swelling, and bleeding, leaving your gums vulnerable to infection. If you regularly use a vape, you most likely also have gum disease.
Symptoms of gum disease include:
- Gums that bleed easily when brushing and flossing
- Red, irritated, tender, or swollen gums
- Receding gums
- Loose teeth
- Bad breath that doesn’t respond to mouthwash or breath fresheners
Vaping and Oral Cancer
Ironically, e-cigarettes were created in order to help tobacco cigarette smokers quit so that they could reduce their risk of lung and oral cancers. However, vaping is now being linked to oral cancer. Besides nicotine, there’s a long list of other chemicals used in vapes that can be dangerous when inhaled. These chemicals are suspected to contribute to the increased development of oral cancer in e-cigarette users, particularly in the young adults that vaping products target.
Cosmetic Effects of Vaping
Because vaping can cause wear and tear on your teeth and lead to issues like cavities and gum disease, you could face tooth loss from excessive vaping. E-cigarette users may end up needing dental implants or dentures at a much younger age due to early tooth loss. The cosmetic effects of vaping can be very serious and can permanently alter your facial structure and your smile.
Get Checked for Gum Disease and Tooth Decay at Prescott Dentistry
At Prescott Dentistry, we have a great deal of experience and expertise when it comes to diagnosing and treating gum disease and tooth decay caused by vaping. Call us today to schedule an evaluation and see how we can work together to help you avoid surgical intervention and keep your teeth for life!
Images used under creative commons license – commercial use (11/5/2023). Photo by Ruslan Alekso on Pexels