E-cigarettes have soared in popularity over the past few years.

More and more people are attempting to quit smoking and are opting for e-cigarettes or are ‘vaping’ instead. These e-cigs have been hailed as a safer alternative, and in some respects that is true. We all know that cigarettes are harmful on the teeth, but these e-cigs aren’t the greatest for our oral either!

 

Nicotine is destroying your teeth.

The nicotine inhaled through e-cigarettes is exactly the same as the nicotine in cigarettes and as such, the effects are just as bad. Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor. Simply, this means that it reduces the amount of blood that can flow through your veins. Without sufficient flow of oxygen, our gums can really suffer and begin to recede. The nicotine essentially chokes the tissues in the mouth of the blood they need to remain healthy which results in weakening in the gum tissues. Receding gums can cause teeth to shift and even become loose making everyday task like eating, drinking and talking, difficult.

Have you got gum disease?

Nicotine in e-cigarettes can also mask the signs of gum disease, which if gone unnoticed can land you hours in the big chair and a hefty dental bill. When you have gum disease, it’s the increased blood flow to the gums that shows your dentist that you have gum disease. The gums are irritated and swell with blood, and when you floss or even brush, they bleed. When a constant flow of nicotine is in your sys

tem, this doesn’t occur, making gum disease hard to identify.

Nicotine also limits your body’s ability to produce saliva. Not enough saliva can leave you susceptible to bacteria build-up, dry mouth, and as a result, tooth-decay.

 

Bruxism Sufferers need to be particularly careful.

Dental patients who suffer from Bruxism are also likely to grind their teeth even more if they are consuming nicotine. Nicotine forces your muscles to work harder and causes us to grind our teeth harder. If the teeth get worn down too much from tooth grinding, you may find yourself under-going treatment or having to opt for a cosmetic procedure to re-design the appearance of your teeth.

 

Reversing the signs of damage.

E-cigarettes may seem like a more health-conscious alternative to cigarettes, and while they may damage your lungs a lot less, your teeth and gums do take a serious hit from the damage of the nicotine.

If you would like to reverse the damage of years of smoking on your teeth through cosmetic work, we can help you! Head to our website where we have over 7,000 practices listed and waiting to help you. From whitening to veneers, out dentists can do it all.

All you have to do is head to our website and enter your location to get started. Then from the checklist on the left hand-side, narrow down your search by the treatment you’re looking for. Then, pick the best practice for you! You’ll find the contact details for the practice too. You can phone up to book a consultation to get the ball rolling!

There’s no easy way to say this. We know it’s easier said than done but the best way to prevent all of the above problems is to kick the habit.