Is Vaping Bad for Your Teeth?

Key Takeaways

• Your dentist can tell if you vape or smoke during an oral exam.
• Long-term vaping negatively impacts oral health, including increased tooth decay, gum disease, and teeth staining.
• You should always be honest with your dentist about whether you smoke or vape.
• If you’re concerned about the impacts vaping has on your oral health, your best option is to quit.
• If you aren’t ready to quit vaping, see your dentist regularly and practice diligent oral hygiene at home.
• Remember that oral health conditions can worsen over time and make you more likely to develop issues with your overall health.

Is Vaping Bad for Your Oral Health?

Vapes are electronic devices that turn liquid into vapor (aerosol) to be inhaled. Many people use it to quit smoking, while others see it as a healthier alternative to cigarettes.

However, vaping is bad for your oral and overall health. Although they contain less nicotine than cigarettes, they can still severely affect your teeth, gums, and oral soft tissues.

Studies have linked vaping to oral health conditions, including:

• Cavities or tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Dry mouth
• Bad breath
• Stained teeth

Nicotine can restrict blood flow to the gums, reduce saliva production, and encourage bacterial growth. In rarer cases, it can burn the interior of your mouth or cause sores.

How Does Vaping Affect Your Teeth? 

Vaping can have many negative consequences on your teeth. It can lead to:

• Bacterial growth — Aerosol from e-cigarettes can increase the amount of bacteria in your teeth, increasing your risk of gum disease, cavities, and toothaches.
• Tooth discoloration — When you vape, the nicotine gets trapped inside the pores of your enamel, causing staining and discoloration. 
• Teeth grinding — Nicotine acts as a stimulant. When it stimulates jaw muscles to contract, it may make you grind your teeth even when asleep (bruxism).

How Does Vaping Affect Your Gums?

A 2016 study showed e-cigarettes could trigger inflammatory responses in the gum tissues. Chronic gum inflammation has been linked to periodontal issues, such as receding gums and infections.

Additionally, the increased inflammation can cause DNA damage in the living cells of the gums. Damage to cells prevents them from growing and dividing, speeding up cell aging and leading to cell death.

DNA damage plays an important role in oral health, causing problems such as:

• Bad breath or halitosis
• Dry mouth
• Gum disease or periodontal disease/bone loss
• Tooth decay and loss

Lastly, nicotine acts as a vasoconstrictor, reducing blood circulation to your gum tissue. This can lead to severe periodontal disease, deeper gum pockets, alveolar bone loss, and tooth loss.

Other Oral Health Effects of Vaping

Beyond the direct impacts on your teeth and gums, vaping can also affect other aspects of your oral health:

• Dry mouth — Nicotine and propylene glycol reduce saliva flow inside the mouth. This can cause dry mouth, which can result in tooth decay or gum disease.
• Mouth burns — Although less common, vaping can lead to mouth burns because the lithium batteries can overheat and explode.
• Stomatitis — Vaping causes cell damage. When the mouth’s lining and the palate become inflamed, it can cause painful mouth sores and oral lesions.
• Oral cancer — A 2019 study showed the increased possibility of e-cigarette users developing lung, oral, and bladder cancer.
• Breathing conditions — Vaping also increases the risk of lung injury, COPD, asthma, lung cancer, and cardiovascular disease.

Which is Worse: Cigarettes or Vapes?

Vaping and smoking cigarettes are equally bad for your teeth. While e-cigarettes don’t contain tobacco, the nicotine and other ingredients in vaping juice are just as harmful. Your dentist can tell if you smoke or vape since the outcomes on your oral health are the same. 

How to Prevent Oral Health Damage From Vaping

People who choose to vape should be aware of the physical and oral health risks. If you want to reduce these risks, consider using vape juice without nicotine. You should also drink plenty of water to prevent dry mouth. 

If you vape regularly, it’s important to maintain your oral health by brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing every night. Finally, visit your dentist regularly for professional cleanings and checkups.

Tips for Quitting Vaping or Smoking

The best way to prevent oral health issues is to quit vaping. The following are helpful tips for people who want to quit vaping or smoking:

• Stay away from triggers — Avoid places, people, and situations that tempt you to vape or smoke.
• Distract yourself — Do things that take your mind off of vaping or smoking.
• Try nicotine therapy — A nicotine patch or a nicotine gum can help reduce nicotine cravings.
• Find motivation — Find something that motivates you to quit vaping or smoking.
• Ask for help — Tell your family and friends about your intent to stop vaping or smoking. Voicing it out loud can help you stick to your commitment.

How Can a Dentist Tell If I Vape?

A dentist who examines your mouth may be able to tell if you vape from the following signs:

• Bad breath
• Stains or discoloration on your teeth 
• Cavities
• Presence of gum disease or inflammation
• Dry mouth
• Burns or sores

Most of the consequences of vaping on your teeth, gums, and mouth are visible in a dental exam, so you won’t be able to lie to your dentist about vaping.