Evidence grows for vaping’s role in gum disease

One such study, published in mBio, finds that e-cigarette users have a unique oral microbiome—the community of bacteria and other microorganisms—that is less healthy than non-smokers but potentially healthier than cigarette smokers, and measures worsening gum disease over time.

“To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study of oral health and e-cigarette use. We are now beginning to understand how e-cigarettes and the chemicals they contain are changing the oral microbiome and disrupting the balance of bacteria,” said Deepak Saxena, who led the research with Xin Li; both are professors of molecular pathobiology at NYU College of Dentistry.

According to Bupa, 90 per cent of adults have some gum disease, if only a small amount. Whilst smoking cigarettes is a known risk factor for developing gum disease, less is known about the impact of e-cigarettes—which vaporize nicotine and other chemicals—on oral health, especially the long-term consequences of vaping.