Smoking and Teeth
Have you ever thought that smoking either regular or vaping causes huge damage to the teeth? Many people think that the vaping is less of a health threat than smoking, except when it comes to oral health!!
1. Nicotine can lead to gum disease and tooth loss.
While vape juice contains a much lower amount of nicotine than traditional tobacco products (and can contain none at all depending on the user,) the negative effect of nicotine on gums is well known. Not only does nicotine restrict blood flow to the gums, it also affects our mouth’s natural ability to fight infection and replenish connective tissue, leading to a higher risk of gum disease and tooth loss.
If the thought of tooth loss doesn’t deter the desire to smoke or vape, consider that gum disease can contribute to other more serious diseases. Even without nicotine, other ingredients in vape juice can deteriorate oral health.
2. Propylene glycol is toxic to enamel and soft tissue.
One of the main ingredients in vape juice is propylene glycol (PG), which is safe to eat and inhale but when used orally breaks down into acids that damage enamel, and propionaldehyde, which irritates soft tissue. PG also causes dry mouth, taking away essential saliva, leading to cavities and gum disease.
While drinking water can help rehydrate the mouth, it’s not a replacement for saliva, which contains compounds that help protect teeth from the damage of Streptococcus mutans, the bacteria that causes tooth decay. Even worse, teens are likely to drink soda or energy drinks to get rid of dry mouth. This magnifies the damage caused by PG because these drinks contain sugar that feeds the bacteria and acids that further erode tooth enamel. Since traditional tobacco products don’t contain PG, this is one way vaping is worse for oral health.
