According to a survey, every fruity cloud of vapor from e-cigarettes and vapes may have unsavory consequences for your sparkly teeth.
Researchers examined thousands of health records from a university dental clinic and discovered that individuals who admitted to vaping had a greater risk of cavities and tooth decay compared to those who did not.
The results of the study were published recently in the Journal of the American Dental Association.
The survey’s lead author, Karina Irusa of Tufts University in the United States, says it’s impossible to conclude that vaping leads to tooth decay, but there is a likely link.
“We accidentally discovered this, and the more we learned about it, the more we thought, ‘OK, this could be a bad thing.'”
The impacts of vaping ensue from the clouds
Vape liquid and electronic cigarette, which is vaporized and smoked, consists primarily of a viscous liquid base, including propylene glycol and glycerol, blended with a slew of artificial flavorings as well as other chemical products.
And vaping is becoming popular in Australia, particularly among the youth.
As reported in the National Health Survey 2021, individuals aged between 18 and 24 have a much higher likelihood of vaping compared to any other age group, with 5% reporting that they presently utilize a device.
However, according to an Australian report published in April, vaping can be risky for our well-being, especially for non-smokers and youngsters. We know that users are more likely to experience lung damage and seizures.
The study published recently is not the only one to indicate a connection between vaping and tooth decay.
A 2017-18 study involving 4,600 individuals in the United States discovered that persons who presently utilized electronic cigarettes were highly likely to have untreated cavities than nonsmokers.
That’s something one of Dr. Irusa’s coworkers observed in his Chicago dental practice several years ago.
He encountered three patients, ages 21 to 52, all of whom had numerous cavities in weird places.
One lady, for example, had decayed spots along the mellow biting sides of her top front teeth.
The trio shared a habit of using e-cigarettes eight to twelve times per day, with vaping liquids comprising THC, the major psychoactive chemical contained in cannabis.
Dr. Irusa and her colleagues examined medical files from about 13,000 individuals over the age of 16 who frequented a Tufts teaching dental clinic between the beginning of 2019 and the end of 2021 to determine whether they could identify a connection between tooth decay risk and vaping in a larger patient population.
91 people (or less than 1% of those surveyed) reported using vapes or electronic cigarettes.
In addition, in comparison to non-vapers (60%), they were far more likely to fall into the “high-risk” cohort for tooth decay (79%).
Matt Hopcraft of the Melbourne Dental School, who did not take part in the survey, stated that although 91 people mentioned vaping, which isn’t a particularly large population (more on the reasons for that later), the findings point to potential concerns for young vapers in the future.
According to Dr. Hopcroft, by their adolescent years, approximately 40% of Australian kids have decay in their permanent teeth.
“If children grow into youth who vape on a continuous basis, that increases their threat [of cavities] even more, and that’s a legitimate concern.”
What causes a sour taste in your mouth when you vape
According to Dr. Irusa, the survey’s fairly low percentage of dental patients who admitted to vaping could be due to a number of factors.
“Because we only looked at records, we assumed that record-keeping was reliable and that the [dental] students did all of this accurately.”
“Was their [cavity] risk assessment correct?” Did they include everyone on the vaping survey?
“And even if they had asked, would everyone have stated the truth?”
Medical files lacked specifics, like how frequently each participant vaped or what was contained in their preferred vape liquid.
It’s also possible that individuals who vape are more likely to engage in cavity-promoting behaviors, like consuming more sugary foods.
However, there are several ways that vaping overall may result in a mouth filled with fillings.
The thick vaporized liquid scarves the teeth, reaching the crannies and nooks.
When certain substances contained in vape liquids are aerosolized, they become acidic.
Despite the fact that the tough, enamel casing that protects our teeth is quite strong, frequent contact with acidic substances could lead to erosion.
Undoubtedly, creamy and fruity-smelling vapes frequently contain a slew of various sugars.
A portion of these sugars feeds acid-producing bacteria within and around the teeth. Some sugars influence the behavior of those microbial species.
A 2018 study looked at how the bacterium Streptococcus mutans, which is present naturally in the mouth and is the major cause of tooth decay, behaves when exposed to flavored vapor.
It was discovered that bacteria get “stickier” and are more likely to clog together to form a film on the tooth enamel, resulting in dental plaque.
Plaque bacteria produce acids that soften and dissolve the enamel beneath if it is not removed.
Vaping could also reduce the amount of saliva we produce, which can make a significant contribution to cavities, according to Dr. Irusa.
“Saliva neutralizes whatever is in the mouth, whether sugar or acid and saliva pH also aids in neutralizing everything.”
“However, if you lack sufficient saliva, you will have acid [on the teeth] for prolonged periods of time.” That isn’t fine.
