e-cigarettes lead to gum disease

E-cigarette smoking, or vaping, is the trend among young people and we see it very regularly on various social media platforms. Having a party? Vaping is part of it! A worrying trend if you ask us. These e-cigarettes vaporize nicotine and other chemicals. Until recently, we didn’t know much about the effects of regular e-cigarette use. But today, research from NYU’s College of Dentistry suggests that regular e-cigarette use is changing the microbiome of smokers’ mouths. The result? Health risks including gum disease.

Vaping’s effects on oral health, an absolute eye-opener

We’ve known for years, through previous studies, that smoking regular cigarettes can lead to gum disease but we know much less about the effects of e-cigarettes. The recent study by the NYU College of Dentistry is therefore an eye-opener. The study involved 84 adults from three different groups. These were cigarette smokers, e-cigarette users and people who had never smoked. During the study, the condition of the gums was assessed by means of two dental visits. A period of 6 months elapsed between these 2 visits. Plaque samples were also taken to analyze the bacteria present.

Unhealthy gums among e-cigarette users

At the start of the study, all participants had gum disease. Among cigarette smokers, these were the most serious diseases, followed by participants who smoke e-cigarettes. The result? After six months, it was discovered that gum disease had worsened in some participants in each group, including e-cigarette users.

Uncommon bacteria from vaping

Surprisingly, e-cigarette users were found to have a totally different oral microbiome compared to regular cigarette smokers and non-smokers. After analyzing the bacteria in the plaque samples, it became apparent that e-cigarette smokers carried bacteria known to be associated with gum disease, including Fusobacterium and Bacteroides. These two were dominant in the mouths of e-cigarette smokers.

An unprecedented oral health problem

Researcher Fangxi says: “Vaping seems to cause unique patterns in bacteria and influence the growth of some bacteria in a way that is similar to cigarette smoking, but with its own profile and oral health risks”.  Conclusion? Vaping poses its own oral health risk with two underlying reasons; the oral microbiome of e-cigarette smokers evokes altered immune responses in combination with clinical makers of gum disease.

Do you know someone who likes to participate in this worrying trend? Then this blog is a must-read to share this information and prevent possible oral health problems.

source: dental INFO