The effects of vaping emerge from the mist
Mostly a thick liquid foundation, like glycerol and propylene glycol, coupled with a tonne of artificial flavourings and other chemicals, e-cigarette or vape liquid is what is heated and inhaled.
Vaping is also becoming more popular in Australia, particularly among young people.
The National Health Survey 2021 finds that the age group of 18 to 24 is the one most likely to vape, with 5% of respondents saying they do so right now.
However, a recent Australian study found that vaping can be bad for our health, especially for young individuals and non-smokers. We are aware that users are more likely to experience seizures and lung damage, for example.
The study published today is not the first to hypothesise a connection between vaping and tooth decay.
Those who now use e-cigarettes are more likely to have untreated cavities than non-smokers, according to a 2017–18 survey of 4,600 persons in the US.
A few years ago, one of Dr. Irusa’s coworkers in his Chicago dental office saw it.
Three patients, each with several cavities in odd places, were seen by him; their ages ranged from 21 to 52.
One woman, for instance, had decaying areas around the upper front teeth’s smooth biting edge.
The three shared a habit of using e-cigarettes frequently, between eight and twelve times per day, to vape liquids that contained THC, the primary psychoactive ingredient in cannabis.
Dr. Irusa and her colleagues examined the patient records of approximately 13,000 adults over 16 who visited a Tufts teaching dental clinic between the beginning of 2019 and the end of 2021 to see if they could discover a connection between vaping and the risk of tooth decay in a larger patient cohort.
91 of them, or less than 1%, admitted to using vapes or e-cigarettes.
Additionally, they were more likely (79%) than non-vapers to fall into the “high-risk” category for tooth decay (60 per cent).
Even though the study’s sample size of 91 vapers was not very large (more on why that might be later), Melbourne Dental School’s Matt Hopcraft said the findings raise the possibility of problems for younger vapers in the future. According to Dr. Hopcroft, by the time they reach adolescence, almost 40% of Australian children have decay in their adult teeth.
“It’s a significant issue if kids are growing up to be young people who regularly vape because that raises their risk [for cavities] much more.”
How vaping could leave you with a bad aftertaste
Dr. Irusa suggested many explanations for the study’s unusually low number of dental patients who reported vaping.
“Since we just examined the data, we are presuming that the records were kept accurately and that the [dental] students followed all applicable procedures.
Was their risk assessment for cavities accurate? Has everyone been questioned about vaping?
Did everyone tell the truth, even if they had asked?
Patient records lacked specific information, such as how frequently each person vaped or the ingredients in their preferred vape liquid.
Another theory is that persons who vape are more likely to engage in activities that promote tooth decay, such as consuming more sugary foods.
However, there are other ways that vaping in general could lead to a mouth full of fillings.
The thick liquid that has been vaporised coats the teeth and gets into all the nooks and crevices.
When released as aerosol, some substances frequently present in vape liquids turn acidic.
Additionally, even though the hard enamel shell that protects our teeth is rather durable, repeated exposure to acidic chemicals can destroy it.
Unsurprisingly, many vapes with fruity and creamy flavours also contain a variety of sugars.
Some of these sugars are food for the bacteria that surround and live on our teeth and produce acid. These microorganisms respond differently to different carbohydrates.
A 2018 study investigated the behaviour of the oral bacteria Streptococcus mutans, which is the primary cause of tooth decay and is found naturally in our mouths.
It was discovered that bacteria became “stickier” and more prone to form a film known as dental plaque on our tooth enamel.
Plaque contains microorganisms that, if left unbrushed, release acids that weaken and destroy the enamel below.
According to Dr. Irusa, vaping may also impact how much saliva we produce, which can lead to cavities.
Whatever is in your mouth, whether it be acid or sugar, is diluted by saliva, and saliva’s pH also helps to maintain everything in balance.
“However, if your saliva production is inadequate, acid will remain on your teeth for a longer period of time. That’s not good at all.
Ref: https://www.abc.net.au/news/health/2022-11-24/vaping-teeth-cavities-tooth-decay-dental-health-mouth-microbiome/101679600
If you are facing any of the issues discussed in this article, please do not hesitate to contact us, and we will do our best to help you.