Research from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine suggests individuals who vape are more likely to develop dental caries.

Karina Irusa, assistant professor of comprehensive care and lead author on the paper, said to media outlet EurekaAlert!, “The extent of the effects on dental health, specifically on dental decay, are still relatively unknown. At this point, I’m just trying to raise awareness.”

The first-of-its-kind study analysed data from 13,000 patients treated at Tufts dental clinics between 2019 to 2022.

The data showed a significant statistical difference between dental caries risk levels between the e-cigarette users and the control group. Seventy-nine per cent of the vaping patients were at high risk of caries, compared to 60 per cent of the control group.

“It’s important to understand this is preliminary data,” Karina says. “This is not 100 per cent conclusive, but people do need to be aware of what we’re seeing.”

One explanation is that the sugary vaping liquid, when aerosolised and inhaled through the mouth, sticks to teeth.

Tufts university recommends dental professionals ask patients regularly about e-cigarette use as part of the patient’s medical history. For patients who use vapes, the researchers recommend a “more rigorous caries management protocol,” which could include prescription-strength fluoride toothpaste and fluoride rinse, in-office fluoride applications, and checkups more often than twice a year.

To read the study visit https://jada.ada.org/article/S0002-8177(22)00577-3/fulltext

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