Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth?

The effects of smoking on your teeth have been well documented. While vaping is considered to be much safer than smoking, there are concerns about whether vaping has the same effects on teeth as smoking.

There’s no consensus on whether vaping is bad for your teeth. The fact that vaping is still relatively new and not much research has been done has only added fuel to the fire. Some people believe vaping might be safe for your teeth because it doesn't contain tar or tobacco.

On the other hand, some e-liquids contain nicotine which is thought to impact your smile negatively. This blog post aims to settle the score once and for all and determine if vaping is bad for your teeth or not.

Why not also read: How Much Nicotine In a Vape?

What does smoking do to your teeth?

Smoking not only has adverse effects on your body but also to your oral health. The tar and nicotine in tobacco can stain teeth in the least.

Tar and nicotine can also cause bad breath, loss of taste and because of oxygen deprivation, smoking can also cause gum disease.

Because of these and other effects on your oral health, it is recommended for dental clinicians to support people who are quitting smoking. That's why your dentist might ask you about tobacco usage during a consultation.

Is vaping better for your teeth?

To better understand the effect that vaping has on your teeth, here’s some evidence to help put things into perspective.

A clinical study was carried out on 110 tobacco smokers who switched to e-cigarettes. Dental experts examined the teeth of the vapers for a period of 60 to 120 days.  

During the examination period, participants who had previously smoked over 30 cigarettes a day saw a dramatic improvement in gum health after switching to vaping.

Some of the notable observations included a significant reduction of bacterial plaque on the teeth surfaces in all former smokers. Gum bleeding and other oral health measures improved.

Why not also read: How Old Do You Have To Be To Vape in the UK?

It was also noted that the subjects reported an improvement in their smell and taste during a self–assessment test. On the other hand, vapers didn’t report any worsening in their oral health or smell and taste.

Researchers suggest the improvement in oral health could be because the subjects were now only taking in nicotine and not tobacco or tar. This helped to reduce the side-effects of smoking tobacco as well as the severity of the effects of tobacco on oral health.

Does vaping damage your teeth?

Different studies have shown that nicotine can have negative effects on your mouth, tongue and gums. It can cause gingivitis and periodontist and can cause bad breath and inflammation.

Whether you’re taking nicotine through smoking or vaping, it has been found to still cause damage to your oral health and other parts of your body.

The long term effects of vaping on your oral health and particularly teeth require more time and study.

Do e-cigarettes make your teeth Yellow?

Smoking is notorious for causing staining of teeth. Even though the tooth enamel is one of the hardest parts in the body, it has tiny pores and over the years, tar and nicotine can get stuck in these holes which leads to discolouration which can be a yellow or brown colour.  

If you have been smoking for many years, this layer can be impossible to remove. With vaping, the nicotine is only heated and not burnt. Because the nicotine is not burnt, it doesn’t produce the sticky brown stuff unlike with smoking.

Because vaping doesn’t produce tar or the brown sticky stuff that cigarettes cause, there’s a lower risk of staining teeth. It's some much-needed relief for vapers.

Looking after your teeth when you vape

Even though research is not conclusive on the effects that vaping can have on your teeth, it’s best to practice extra caution on your oral health while you enjoy vaping. Here are a few tips that will help you lower the risk of damaging your smile.

• Drink plenty of water – vapers should take drinking enough water more seriously. Most of the potential risks to oral health revolve around dehydration. By keeping your fluid levels up, you can reduce the risks of most oral health concerns. Drinking water is also beneficial to your skin and in keeping you focused and sharp.
• Switch to low or no nicotine e-liquid – According to research, all fingers point to nicotine as the culprit for the woes that your teeth and mouth might face as a result of vaping. One way of limiting the risk to your oral wellbeing is to cut down on the amount of nicotine in your e-liquid. You have to be careful and make sure you still get enough nicotine hit especially if you’re vaping as a way of quitting smoking.
• Brush better – taking better care of your teeth and gums can help reduce chances of plaque forming. It’s advisable that you brush your teeth at least twice a day. If you’re vaping, you might also want to visit your dentist more frequently because nicotine can mask some gum conditions.

It requires more time for the full effect of vaping on your teeth to be determined. However, considering that vaping and smoking contain nicotine, it might be a good idea to take precautions that will preserve your smile and reduce any risks to your mouth.

Visit your dentist often for a checkup and if you notice any chances with your oral health. Early diagnosis will go a long way in providing you with the best possible care. Make sure you also follow the tips above and take the best possible care of your teeth.