At Scott Edwards DDS, it’s always our goal to prioritize every component of your oral health. That means keeping your teeth healthy with regular cleaning at our office, treatments as needed, and advising you on how to prioritize your health outside of our office, too.
Many people know that consuming certain foods, drinks, and substances can sometimes have a negative impact on your teeth. And we have all been told by our dentists to be cautious about eating or drinking too much sugar because it can increase the chances of tooth decay. But did you know that vaping can have a negative impact on your teeth?
Take some time to learn more about why Dr. Edwards, Dr. Prince, and Dr. Myers don’t recommend vaping to any of our patients.
What is Vaping?
Similar to smoking, vaping works through the use of an e-cigarette where the smoker inhales e-liquid or “vape juice” as an aerosol vapor. It is inhaled into the lungs, passing through the mouth and throat just like smoking. Some people mistakenly believe that because it doesn’t have the same kind of tobacco content it is better for you than cigarettes, but this is most certainly wrong. Vaping includes nicotine which is the same harmful and addictive substance that is naturally found in tobacco.
Vaping has become popular with many people as a cigarette alternative. There are often many different flavors that attract different users, and it is especially popular among teens. This has become a dangerous situation where teens more easily become hooked to nicotine through the fun and easy flavors of e-cigarettes.
A New Oral Health Concern
As we said above, most people have been taught about the most common negative impacts on our oral health, including smoking cigarettes. Vaping is newer on the scene, but the research is piling up that just as cigarettes can have negative effects on your lungs, heart, throat, and mouth, so too does vaping.
Because vaping involves nicotine, many impacts are the same as cigarettes and other tobacco products. It also makes vaping addictive and difficult to stop once you start. If you don’t currently vape, let these tips below motivate you to stay away from the practice. If you already are hooked on vaping then hopefully we can work together to find a healthy solution to reduce the impact of vaping on your health.
Things to Consider With Vaping and Oral Health
Here are the top reasons why the doctors at Scott Edwards DDS recommend that their patients avoid vaping.
Impact of Nicotine
Nicotine is a highly addictive substance that makes it incredibly difficult to stop using once you’ve started. Those who are used to getting a nicotine fix through cigarettes or chewing tobacco sometimes think that switching to a vape will help improve the negative health impacts. Unfortunately, this isn’t true. Regardless of how it is ingested, nicotine restricts blood flow, leading to tooth decay and gum disease.
Other Harmful Chemicals
Aside from nicotine, vapes can also contain chemicals like benzene, propylene glycol, formaldehyde, and other toxic chemicals. Propylene glycol specifically is one of the primary substances that make up vape juice and can break down into acids that erode enamel and soft tissue in the mouth. Again, this means teeth that have a greater chance of decay, cavities, and even tooth loss. In general, it’s important to keep these chemicals away from your mouth or absorbed into your bloodstream.
Periodontal Disease
Periodontal disease describes infection and inflammation that happens in the gums and bones that surround and support the teeth. This can start with the early stage of gingivitis where gums get swollen and bleed. It will often grow into something more serious that can result in tooth or bone loss. More and more researchers are finding that e-cigarettes and vapes increase the chances of periodontal disease, which is quite serious for the long-term health of your teeth and mouth.
What To Do If You or Your Teen is Hooked?
One of the most important first steps is to avoid getting addicted to nicotine! As we have discussed, smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco have so many negative health outcomes to your health, including your oral health. ‘Just say no’ is the best policy!
If you or your teen are already hooked, it’s best to create a treatment plan along with your doctor and dentist. They may have suggestions or ideas of how to kick the habit, and they can be even more attentive to the signs of negative health impacts to help get you treatments faster. Don’t be shy about sharing your vape use, as it will help inform Dr. Edwards, Dr. Prince, or Dr. Myers about how best to take care of you.
Keep Your Teeth Safe with Scott Edwards DDS!
If you are eager to keep your teeth and mouth healthy, whether you use a vape or not, Scott Edwards DDS is the place to go! We love helping our patients in our East Memphis and Midtown locations and are taking new patients now. Give us a call and schedule a cleaning today!