By Dara Mormile

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Those fruity, fizzy flavors of e-cigarettes and vapes may smell and taste more appealing, appearing to be a “safer” alternative to the traditional tobacco cigarette smoking. Studies suggest whichever way you get your “fix”, either way can lead to cancer and other disease. 
  Furthermore, vaping damages your gums, teeth, and tongue, while also diminishing your sense of taste. Over time, it can also increase the risk of tooth decay, disease, and even oral cancer. 
 
Preferred Health Magazine is clearing the smoke for you! 

We investigated the potential oral damage caused by vaping when we spoke to compassionate Dentist Aaron Bulleigh, DDS at Desert Springs Dental Care in Las Vegas, who’s been treating patients and performing an array of oral surgeries for over 20 years at his Nevada-based practice. 
  According to the CDC/National Center for Health Statistics, the percentage of adults who used electronic cigarettes increased from 4.5 % in 2019 to 6.5 % in 2023. 
  Bulleigh said that despite growing statistics, the medical/dental industry doesn’t know enough information yet about long- and short-term use of vaping since it may take decades to fully understand what it’s done to younger populations (the largest population of vapers are currently in their early 20s, according to the dentist) who began using vapes these in the past several years. 
  “There’s definitely a widespread myth that vaping is significantly less harmful than smoking,” the dentist said. “People think it’s safer simply because it doesn’t involve the burning of tobacco which creates the smoke-filled tar and carcinogens that we all know are so bad for you.” 

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However, he noted, those who vape are still exposing their mouths to nicotine, along with toxic and deadly chemicals including: 

- Propylene glycol:
which is present in antifreeze. 
- Various Aldehydes:
including the carcinogen formaldehyde. 
- Heavy metals:
including nickel and cadmium. 
 
At the core, vaping involves inhaling these flavored chemicals through evaporated water, which makes it more “sticky.” 
   “People love the flavors and the fact that the vapers stick to their teeth and their tongues as a result of these aldehydes and propylene glycols, which are also heavily sugared,” he said. “All of those chemicals and dyes that sit for hours inside the oral environment are irritants to tooth enamel soft tissues in your mouth.” 

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Dr. Bulleigh also said vaping impacts healthy blood flow and depletes much-needed saliva. “Less blood flow equals less salivary action and less saliva flow. There’s a natural currant in your mouth and you swallow hundreds of times in one hour - without even realizing it - that washes away bacteria even when you're not eating.    When you reduce salivary action, it allows more harmful bacteria to stay on the teeth and increases gum disease, tooth decay,  and bad breath.” 
   What’s worse? You could lose your sense of taste from reduced blood flow to the mouth as well. 
   Bulleigh said some research has proven that vaping dulls taste perception - but many dentists are still gauging how long it could take cancers and oral diseases to develop from the time someone starts vaping. 
 
“There’s well established, decades-long evidence supporting how long it takes traditional cigarettes to cause oral decline. But from what doctors understand right now, vaping starts impacting your oral health much sooner than people realize - often within 6 to 12 months - if you’re vaping at least 4 times a week. But most people use it more often, not thinking it’s as harmful as cigarettes.” 

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While people think vaping will help them quit tobacco, the presence of nicotine doesn’t make the transition any healthier as dentists navigate how oral cancers develop and form. 
   “We’re probably looking at around 5 years before vaping dangers are mainstream and is something that’s discussed among dentists and their patients,” he said, noting that oral damage caused by regular cigarettes, vaping and e-cigarettes look similar in X-rays. “Soft tissue X-rays won't show changes in the mouth caused by vaping. In smokers, though, hard tissue X-rays will show tooth decay.” 
   The dentist has hope for the future and thinks professionals can start seeing detailed damage when new technology develops, especially in light of the fact that most young people now are at the beginning of oral health decay. 
   “Young people are pretty resistant. When it comes to a teenagers mouth - they can go days without brushing their teeth and it will take longer for the damage to start. Someone in their 50s, for example, who doesn’t take care of their mouths, will feel the effects sooner. As dentists, we really need to build a database of research and facts to follow this deadly trend that seems so cool and harmless to the younger generation,” he concluded. 
 
The U.S. Surgeon General and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine already blast warnings everywhere about the risks of inhaling secondhand e-cigarette emissions. Oral health advisories could help more people say “nope” to the vape! 

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