Smoking and vaping: NHS shows difference between the two
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Dentist Doctor Crystal Stinston said: “Studies on their impact are really new. But now we have a solid amount of evidence that shows the link between e-cigarettes and poor oral health.” Whether it’s smoked or vaped, nicotine restricts blood flow to the gums.
And while the oral cavity is “really resilient”, repeated trauma from nicotine exposure can lead to “irreversible” issues.
Irreversible damage can include a loss of bone that anchors the teeth to the jaw, resulting in tooth loss.
Doctor Stinston stressed that the long-term risks of vaping are not yet known, so people who do it are basically part of an “experiment”.
Research highlighted that e-cigarette vapours contain “high nicotine concentration and other toxic compounds”.
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Moreover, they noted that 43 percent of their participants who vaped had gum disease and oral infections.
This was almost double the amount of gum disease cases compared to non-smokers.
Fellow dentist, Doctor Purnima Kumar said the risk of vaping is “scary”.
Doctor Kumar continued: “E-cigarettes stress the bacterial communities that live in your mouth, and they encase themselves in slime.
“So they’re no longer good bacteria and the inflammatory response is through the roof.
“People are walking around thinking they’re healthy, but they are just primed for disease.”
The American Dental Association issued a statement: “We’ve just scratched the surface. [Vaping] – we know it’s detrimental.”
Experts at 92 Dental noted that flavoured vapes put people at increased risk of developing cavities.
“Constantly filling your mouth with sugar-rich vapour gives the bacteria in your mouth the means to endlessly produce acid,” the experts noted.
“Combine this with the mouth-drying effects of hot vapour and you are leaving your teeth very vulnerable to decay.”
As for the chemicals found in e-cigarettes, it’s “not unlikely that some of these ingredients may be shown to be carcinogenic in the future”.
Carcinogenic substances are cancer-inducing products that increase the risk of tumours forming in the body.
Vaping is associated with gum disease, cavities, tooth grinding, and bad breath.
There is also the possibility that vaping is connected to tooth staining and oral cancer.
If you would like to stop smoking nicotine, contact your local NHS Stop Smoking Service.
You can also call the free Smokefree National Helpline on 0300 123 1044.
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