Vaping is Damaging to Your Oral Health
It is common knowledge that smoking cigarettes is bad for your teeth and overall health. Smoking causes dental problems such as bad breath and plaque, and increases the risk of oral cancer and gum disease. In many ways, e-cigarettes were created because they were meant to be a “healthier” alternative for you but vaping turns out to be just as bad for your oral and bodily health as traditional smoking.
What is Vaping?
Vaping means to smoke an e-cigarette, which unlike a regular cigarette, does not produce tobacco smoke. Instead, it uses a vapor, or an aerosol, to deliver nicotine into the lungs. Once believed to be harmless water vapor, it is now known that the vapors contain harmful toxic chemicals and heavy metals, which are linked to cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease.
Health Risks of Vaping
Although tobacco is not present in e-cigarettes, nicotine is and it is harmful to your teeth and overall health. Nicotine presents numerous health risks in addition to being addictive. It increases your risk of cancer and promotes tumor growth in lung, gastrointestinal, pancreatic, and breast cancer.
Short-term data shows that vaping negatively affects your health in the following ways:
- Weakens blood cells
- Increases risk of heart disease
- Weakens lungs
- Damages the immune system
- Recedes the gums
- Causes dry mouth
- Promotes bacteria in the mouth, which causes tooth decay
- Promotes bruxism, or grinding of the teeth
- Increases the risk of gum disease
Vaping and Gum Disease
Nicotine from vaping causes gum inflammation, swelling, and increases your risk of gum disease. Watch out for the following symptoms of gum disease if you vape:
- Halitosis (bad breath)
- Bleeding gums
- Red, irritated, tender, or swollen gums
- Loose teeth or loss of teeth
- Receding gums
Vaping presents many problems to your oral and overall health just as much as smoking tobacco. If you vape, stay on top of your oral health by scheduling regular dental checkups.
