Vaping similar to smoking is a damaging unhealthy habit that can have a huge impact on oral health. People who vape are at a higher risk of developing oral cancer, gum issues and complications after dental treatments that require healing.
The risks of people who don’t smoke compared to people who smoke are much higher. This is enough of a reason for you to consider quitting it.
In this blog post, we will discuss what is vaping, how it works, the effects of it on your oral health etc. Recognizing these many risks and understanding the complications that come with it is very important and might make you reconsider if it is all worth it.
Vaping is the practice of inhaling a mist, or “vapour,” into your lungs via a portable electronic device. A liquid containing nicotine, flavouring, propylene glycol, and other additives is heated in an e-cigarette, vape pen, or other electronic nicotine delivery system (ENDS) to create an aerosol that is inhaled through a mouthpiece.
Using these electronic devices full of harmful ingredients can cause a lot of issues for your health including addiction, organ damage and lung problems.
How does vaping work?
The process of vaping involves heating liquid in a tiny device so that it may be inhaled like a cigarette. The liquid within the e-cigarette, vape pen, or other vaping device is heated to produce an aerosol and this is not just a vapor that forms from heating water.
E-cigarette mist is made up of airborne particles of flavouring, nicotine, and other harmful ingredients. Through the mouthpiece, you inhale these particles, which affect your teeth and then go down your throat and into your lungs.
What is the difference between vaping and smoking cigarettes?
Both smoking and vaping are damaging to our bodies and they both contain damaging substances. While vaping pans heat the liquids to produce aerosol, cigarettes burn tobacco that produces smoking which can also damage others nearby.
Although vaping is considered safer than cigarettes this is not true. They both cause health issues that can have a huge impact on the body.
They will become addicting and introduce possibly harmful compounds into your body after prolonged use. Many of these compounds are present in greater concentrations when tobacco is burned. Aping on the other hand hasn’t been around long enough to determine the potential long-term harm that it may produce.
How does vaping damage your lungs?
Lungs are the most impacted organ that smoking and vaping can affect. The particles inhaled will swell and irritate the lungs causing damage to the tubes that bring the air inside and out. When it comes to other parts of the body, additional research is required since vaping pens have not been around as long as cigarettes.
How does vaping affect teeth, gums, and oral health?
Some of the most common oral issues caused by vaping include:
Gum disease is a known side effect of smoking and vaping but why is that?
Gum disease medically known as periodontal disease is a serious issue that if not treated can cause tooth loss. This condition comes in two stages depending on the severity of it, gingivitis and periodontitis.
Gingivitis is the early stage that if not treated can progress to periodontitis that is not reversible and the structure that holds the bone can become damaged causing teeth to become loose or fall out on their own.
Periodontal disease can be caused by infections and improper care of the teeth that can eventually destroy the bone that keeps the teeth in place and allows them to function properly. If you don’t brush and floss your teeth plaque and food left between teeth, known as plaque can lead to gum disease.
If left untreated this plaque will harden and form calculus or tartar which will irritate the gums. These signs are more noticeable in people who smoke regularly so they need to be extra careful.
If you have noticed signs of periodontal disease, quitting smoking will be a good idea. If you quit you will have a better response to gum treatment than those who don’t smoke. The risk of issues in the future will also be much lower.
In some cases, after you quit smoking, your gums can continue bleeding but this is a normal response. If you worry about anything, we suggest you contact your dentist. They will take a thorough look at your mouth and recommend the needed oral care routine.
If you vape or smoke regularly it is important to check with your dentist regularly. Some of the signs that they will keep an eye out include:
Tooth loss is a serious issue and it is important to try your best to prevent it from happening. Your teeth do not only make you look beautiful but they serve important functions.
Losing your back teeth will cause difficulties eating and chewing foods while losing your front teeth will affect your self-confidence, your face, and your way of speaking and create unnecessary issues. Additionally, your teeth will also play an important part in holding your face shape, especially the lower part.
Both cigarettes and vape pens cause stains on the teeth but in different ways. Although the effect of vapes in staining is not as severe as the effect of cigarettes, still it is something you should look out for.
Since vapes contain nicotine even those who are marketed as nicotine-free, when this substance is exposed to oxygen it will turn to a yellowish or brownish color which will stick to the enamel. Another factor that can contribute is the flavourings and additives that vapes contain which can leave a residue on teeth which will attract harmful bacteria just like candies.
This effect will not be noticeable at first but as time passes you will notice clear signs of discoloration that should be treated by professional dentists. The most recommended treatments in these cases will be teeth whitening and dental veneers.
Smoking and vaping both contain nicotine which is very harmful for the immune system. Our immune system needs to be in great condition in order to be strong enough to fight infections and other bacteria that enter the body.
By weakening the immune system, your body won’t be able to heal itself at a normal rate after oral surgery or treatment. Vaping can affect the healing process in several ways including:
Mouth cancer also known as oral cancer can impact the mouth including the tongue, roof, floor and inside of the cheeks. Vaping will be considered one of the main risks for developing mouth cancer and the number of people being diagnosed is getting higher and higher every day.
Additionally consuming alcohol is also damaging for the body while impacting the mouth environment and being a potential factor of oral cancer. Combining these damaging habits together will risk your chances of developing issues.
Quitting vaping or smoking will be very beneficial for you and the risks of developing oral cancer will be minimal. So if you are thinking of quitting these should be enough.
Cancer signs will be noticeable on the side of the tongue, the roof, the floor and even the lips. In some other cases, other areas of the mouth can also be impacted.
When it comes to cancer, early diagnosis is so important. During its early stages, it will be much easier for cancer to be treated before it moves further and affects other body areas.
Three ways that are considered effective in killing cancer cells are surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Both these treatments are effective but they don’t guarantee full treatment.
Some of the main symptoms of cancer that should be a cause of concern include:
When it comes to comparing smoking and vaping, you should know that both are bad for your oral health. However, vaping is considered the safer alternative.
Besides this, vaping causes a disruption of the mouth environment and causes a number of issues such as tooth discolouration, plaque buildup, less saliva production and a higher risk of periodontal disease which is not treated will result in tooth loss, cavities and periodontitis.
It’s also crucial to remember that the effects of vaping on your dental health are yet not completely known. Important information on the harm caused by vaping has not yet been made public since several studies and independent research are still being conducted on the subject.
This is important because, besides the risks that are known, there can be other serious issues that vaping can cause. Considering quitting vaping or smoking will be very beneficial for you. It is always better to be safe than sorry.
Consider these recommendations if you want to reduce the impact of vaping on your oral health:
