E-cigarettes are smokers’ new friends, especially with studies showing that their benefits outweigh their disadvantages. Research shows that tobacco-dependent smokers can easily abstain from smoking after shifting to electronic cigarettes. Even those who don’t want to quit completely can reduce the health risks of smoking by opting for electronic cigarettes. However, these innovative cigarettes aren’t completely harmless as they contain toxins which affect your teeth and overall oral health.
How Smoking e-Cigarettes is Bad for Your Oral Health
While electronic cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, they still contain a form of nicotine. Even if you do choose a lower level of nicotine, smoking e-cigs for long or continuously will cause the following side-effects of nicotine:
- Gum Disease – A study in the Journal of Periodontology uncovered that Nicotine users are four time more likely to suffer from advanced gum disease.
- Tooth Decay and Loss – Using nicotine is bound to cause alveolar bone loss, increasing the risk of tooth decay and loss.
- Teeth Stains – Though the color of your teeth may not be a major health concern, a white, healthy smile can affect your confidence and self-esteem.
- Bad Breath – Another problem e-cigarette smokers may face is bad breath. Not only will it repel people around you, but it’ll reduce your confidence.
- Reduction of Blood Flow – Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, which means that it can reduce the blood flow to your mouth’s tissue. As a result, the white blood cells won’t be able to fight bacterial infections while red blood cells won’t be able to replenish gum cells.
Smoking electronic cigarettes also contain propylene glycol and glycerin, two ingredients that make people feel as if their teeth have been coated. However, in case you’re wondering, they won’t cause tooth decay. In fact, propylene glycol is used in toothpaste to prevent water loss in the paste while killing bacteria in the mouth. Still, this doesn’t mean that you’re safe from the effects of smoking.
What You Should Do to Avoid the Effects of E-Cigs
The best way to avoid having nicotine and other chemical wreak havoc on your teeth is quitting smoking. However, this won’ be easy or very quick. Therefore, you need to reduce the damage by cleaning your teeth on the go. Dr. Dental recommends five unique products to maintain your oral health while you’re away from home. Through these, you can reduce the damage or even avoid it altogether if you use these right after smoking and eating.
In addition, make sure to visit your dentist regularly to avoid other oral problems such as dry mouth and cavities. Schedule an appointment right away at one of our conveniently located dental offices across the U.S.
