Vaping & Your Oral Health
What is this alternative to smoking?
Whatever your opinion is of it, vaping has certainly taken the world by storm. There are vaping shops on every corner, and it is more common to see somebody vaping than smoking.
Here at Abbey Road Dental, we aren’t here to tell you if vaping is healthy or not, or if we think it is a good idea.
However, we always want to provide current advice and as so many people are vaping now, we wanted to give you some information about vaping and your oral health.
How It Works
Vaping works whereby a heating element inside a pipe or ‘e-cigarette’ heats up ‘e-liquid’ to create vapour which the person using the pipe inhales.
Vaping & Your Teeth
We do not know if vaping is safe, but we do know that it doesn’t cause the same effects as traditional cigarettes on the mouth. No bad breath, calcification of plaque and bad staining of the teeth. There are also fewer chemicals causing nasty changes in the mouth which can lead to head and neck cancer. The effects of vaping though, are still largely unknown and it will take a long time for medical studies to determine its effects on the body. Our general advice therefore is precautionary i.e. avoid it if you can.
In the meantime, what we do know for sure is that nicotine ingestion could still be a cause of oral health issues. Although there are zero nicotine e-liquids available, a lot of people use the liquids with nicotine in to try and use their vape as an alternative to smoking.
Nicotine has a compound in it which causes the muscle wall of blood vessels to temporarily contract, reducing blood flow. Certain studies have suggested that there is possibly an associated decrease in oxygen supply to the areas affected, which in the case of vaping, would be the soft tissues of the mouth and the gums.
This means that there is a possible risk of vaping (when it is done with nicotine) contributing to your risk of gum disease.
When balancing this against the very many negative effects of smoking standard cigarettes, some have argued that vaping is certainly a lesser evil, or even a much better option. Here at Abbey Road Dental we don’t know if vaping is a better option for certain, but we do know it is important to know all the risks and to understand those risks when you make a choice to vape.
Looking Out For The Signs Of Gum Disease
If you do vape and are concerned that it could contribute to your risk of developing gum disease, it is important to visit your dentist in Abbey Road regularly so we can check for the signs. If caught early enough it can be reversed with a change in oral hygiene habits. You should also book yourself in for an extra appointment if you spot any of the signs of gum disease – you can familiarise yourself with this on the NHS Choices web page.
Book Yourself In For A Checkup At Our Friendly St John’s Wood Clinic
The best way to keep on top of any potential oral health risks or issues is to practice excellent oral hygiene habits at home and to visit us regularly here in NW8. Your dentist is trained to check your gums, mouth and teeth for signs of potential issues so they can be treated nice and early. Your Abbey Road Dental hygienist or dentist will also be able to advise you on adjusting your oral health regime so that it is as effective as possible.
Please call us on 02076241603 and we will be pleased to book you an appointment at a time convenient to you.
