Stamp out e-cigarettes

Think electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are a harmless way to wean yourself off smoking? Think again.

A bad choice for teeth

Recent studies suggest that in addition to still containing addiction-causing nicotine, e-cigarettes may also promote dental disease. Smokeless cigarettes contain no tobacco and have fewer harmful by-products than traditional cigarettes. However, they still contain nicotine, which has been proven to harm teeth and gums by reducing the healing ability of mouth tissues and increasing the levels of bacteria that cause tooth decay.

Vulnerable teens

Another downside: E-cigarettes seem to appeal to young people, with more than 1.8 million teens trying the trend so far. Instead of weaning teenagers from nicotine, public health officials are concerned that e-cigarettes are actually having the opposite effect by introducing them to the drug.

The bottom line

While e-cigarettes may help some people kick the nicotine habit, there’s not much evidence to support their effectiveness at doing so. There is proof, however, that even the small amount of nicotine found in e-cigarettes has negative effects.

If you aren’t already smoking, don’t start an e-cigarette habit, either!

The oral health information on this website is intended for educational purposes only. You should always consult a licensed dentist or other qualified health care professional for any questions concerning your oral health.