2021-11-16
How Does Vaping Affect Your Teeth and Gums?
The idea that vaping is “healthier” for you than cigarettes is an extremely common and very dangerous myth. Although e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, 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.
Vaping and Oral Health: The Consequences
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?
Regular vaping decreases saliva production, which permits bacteria to thrive. It can also cause dry mouth, cavities, bad breath, and gum disease. If any of these issues becomes too severe, you may be 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 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 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:
- 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 issues like cavities and gum disease, you could face tooth loss from excessive vaping. E-cigarette users could have to face getting 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 treating gum disease and tooth decay from 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!