Can a dentist tell if you vape?

VAPING is popular in the UK, with over 3 million Brits enjoying the liquids.

The NHS says they are an alternative to smoking and could even help you quit permanently.

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However, studies have shown that they could be just as bad for your heart as regular cigarettes.

Nicotine — the substance that makes cigarettes and e-cigarettes addictive — is linked to a higher risk of heart disease, research has found.

Most people are aware of the risks that smoking poses to oral health, such as: B. an increased likelihood of gum disease.

However, one dentist states that vaping could be just as bad and cause other problems, and while you might try to hide your habit, you can always spot it.

Speaking to The Sun, Dr. Michael Heffernan, a dentist at The Wessex Dental Specialist Care, which is part of Bupa Dental Care, that your dentist can see the effects of vaporizing on your oral health.

He explained that the heated ingredients in e-cigarette aerosols make you more susceptible to oral health issues like dry mouth and gum disease.

“When your mouth is dry, the harmful bacteria can grow and overcome your protective bacteria, and elevated levels of bacteria can lead to the development of tooth decay and gum disease.

“This often takes the form of increased sticky plaque, which causes inflamed, swollen and bleeding gums, sensitive teeth and bad breath.

“We also know that nicotine (found in e-cigarettes) can restrict blood flow to the gums and poor circulation can lead to more serious gum disease around teeth and possible loss of dental implants.

“However, these effects are less harmful than smoking or chewing tobacco products.”

dr Heffernan recommends letting your dentist or hygienist know if you’re vaping.

“We’re not here to judge and if we know you’re vaping we can examine your mouth and let you know of any harmful changes and advice on how to take care of your health,” he added.

Does vaping stain your teeth?

dr Heffernan said most people can tell the appearance of a smoker’s teeth, which can be yellow and brown, by the tar in tobacco smoke.

However, e-cigarettes don’t contain tar, and at this point, he said, there’s not the same degree of staining in the teeth of people who vape.

But vaping can still cause discoloration, he said.

“That’s because e-cigarettes come in many different flavors and contain many chemicals that can negatively affect the appearance of your teeth. And the sticky residue left on teeth from the vapor aerosol can trap the stains in the enamel.”

Can it cause tooth decay?

Many vapes have a sweet flavor and sweeteners are generally a part of most people’s diet.

In the UK, flavored vapes contain no sugar, so “sweeter-tasting” vapes don’t cause more tooth decay, but they can fuel your cravings for sweeter stimulation, which can lead us to choose foods and drinks that contain more sugar – and that can lead to more tooth decay, diabetes and obesity, he said.

Some fruit-flavored vapes contain acidic ingredients to give them a pungent fruit flavor.

“This acid can erode the surface of tooth enamel, which means dentists may have to repair the damage if it progresses too far,” said Dr. Heffernan.

will i have bad breath

We all know that one colleague who comes back smelly from the smoking area.

And when you vape, you also have bad breath, said Dr. Heffernan.

“A major cause of bad breath in someone who vapes is the reduction in saliva, which dries out the mouth.

“Drinking water regularly and moisturizing your mouth keeps unpleasant odors at bay as this disrupts and washes away the plaque bacteria.

“Water also helps dilute bad smelling compounds in the mouth and reduce the odor we exhale. You can also use xylitol mints or sugar-free gum to help during the day,” he said.

Risk of gum disease

While the effects of vaping on oral health have been less researched, dentists are noticing some patterns, said Dr. Heffernan.

“When you quit smoking and switch to vaping to quit smoking, we see that patients’ gum health improves, which is really positive.

“However, if we look at non-smokers trying to vape, we see signs of major gum disease on teeth and dental implants.

“So it appears that vaping isn’t as harmful as smoking, but does damage gum health, which can be permanent,” he said.