Vaping hurts your oral health. The smoke that you inhale irritates oral tissue, increasing the risk of gum disease and cancer while also causing teeth discoloration.
What Is Vaping
Vaping simply refers to the use of E-cigarettes. A vape is a device that simulates cigarette smoking. It may or may not contain nicotine. A powered atomizer converts smoke into vapor, and the smoker inhales vapor instead of the ordinary smoke in cigarettes. Although vaping is safer than smoking cigarettes or chewing tobacco, it also carries risks for your mouth, lungs, and body in general.
How Vaping Affects Oral Health
Vaping has a serious effect on your mouth. The CDC notes that most e-cigarettes contain nicotine. Other E-cigarettes combine nicotine with flavors such as mint for a more exciting feel. Despite the chemical composition, an e-cigarette affects several parts of your mouth.
Vaping and Your Gums
Nicotine has the same effect on your gums, whether it is chewed, smoked, or vaped. Nicotine vapor constricts blood vessels, decreasing blood flow to gums. This increases the risk of different gum diseases, including gum disease and gum recession. If your gums are already infected, then it becomes harder for them to heal.
The vapor inhaled from E-cigarettes also directly irritates gums, lips, and the lining of your mouth, causing irritation and sensitivity. This can cause mouth sores, sensitivity, and gum recession.
Vaping and Your Teeth
Vaping affects teeth in several ways. First, vaping discolors teeth, giving them a stubborn black-brown staining that is difficult to remove. Then, vaping erodes the tooth enamel since, in most cases, the vapor is acidic. This leads to tooth sensitivity while increasing the risk of tooth loss.
Other Effects of Vaping
Vaping also causes dry mouth, which is a risk factor for cavities and gum disease. Saliva helps moisturize the mouth and wash away food remnants.
You will also notice that the flavorings in e-cigarettes are mostly sweet and sticky. These sweet flavorings coat oral tissue and support the rapid growth and reproduction of bacteria. This increases the risk of tooth decay and caries. These sweet substances also contribute to foul breath.
Closing Remarks
Vaping carries risks for your oral health. Contact your dentist for regular cleaning and assessment to help with the early identification of risks.
Dentist Dacula • Dental Blog • Lanier Valley Dentistry At Lanier Valley Dentistry, we provide an in-depth dental blog to inform our patients and the community about the real issues that affect your oral health. Lanier Valley Dentistry - Dr Colin Lentz, 3635 Braselton Hwy, Suite C, Dacula, GA 30019 • (678) 802-8654 • laniervalleydentistry.com • 4/29/2024 • Key Phrases: dentist Dacula GA •
Vaping hurts your oral health. The smoke that you inhale irritates oral tissue, increasing the risk of gum disease and cancer while also causing teeth discoloration.
