Even though the Food and Drug Administration can now regulate nicotine in all forms, including nicotine cartridges used in e-cigarettes, there is still much we do not know about the connection between vaping and oral health.
Is There Any Risk to your Oral Health from Vaping?
A battery heats the liquid in an e-cartridge cigarette to produce an aerosol of "smoke" inhaled by the user. Tobacco-derived nicotine is just one of many compounds included in the "e-juice" used in vaping devices. Even cartridges marketed as "nicotine-free" have been shown to contain detectable drug levels.
Many chemical compounds are produced as the cartridge's liquid is heated. Scientists have discovered carcinogens (chemicals known to cause cancer) and heavy metals like nickel, tin, and lead in vape cartridges.
The American Dental Association Views on Tobacco and Nicotine Products.
Decades of studies have shown that using any kind of tobacco product, including smokeless tobacco, is terrible for your teeth. This holds for all forms of tobacco use, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, hookahs (water pipes), and smokeless tobacco. Nicotine, found in all of these products, is highly addictive and has been shown to impact brain development in young people negatively.
Regarding nicotine-containing products like e-cigarettes, the American Dental Association (ADA) has some rules in place. ADA regulations require dentists to inform their patients about the dangers of tobacco smoking, which include increased risk of cavities, gum disease, bone loss, and tooth loss.
Dentists should do nicotine usage screenings (for both tobacco and non-tobacco products) and offer cessation counseling to their patients. Regarding reducing tobacco-related mortality and morbidity, the ADA is also worried about marketing specific nicotine delivery modalities (like vaping) as if they are less harmful than others. Get in touch if you have any questions or want to learn more about vaping and our dental health.
Even though the Food and Drug Administration can now regulate nicotine in all forms, including nicotine cartridges used in e-cigarettes, there is still much we do not know about the connection between vaping and oral health.