Effects of Nicotine and Vaping
It's long been known that smoking cigarettes is bad for your health and also your teeth but today's culture of vaping poses an even bigger threat to oral health than just cigarettes. Nicotine (the main ingredient in Tobacco) shrinks the blood vessels in your mouth, giving the false appearance of health by causing less bleeding but increases your risk of bone loss seven times and greatly increases the risk of developing gum disease. Most vapes available today have significantly more nicotine than what cigarettes contain, further increasing the risk of bone loss and gum disease. Pod type vapes, like Juul, can contain more nicotine than 1 pack of cigarettes in one pod. While cigarettes do still contain many toxic chemicals, the juice also contains many ingredients that become toxic when super heated to become vapor. Dip or snuff is another commonly consumed form of nicotine; dip is unique in the way that it increases the risk of developing oral cancer exponentially. If you are using dip, move it around your mouth frequently and don't put it in the same spot repeatedly. If you notice the tissue of your mouth changing, stop using it in that area until it can heal and be aware of permanent tissue changes, this could be a sign of early oral cancer. If you are vaping and wish to cut back, switching juice concentrations to progressively lower concentrations will help reduce the amount of nicotine consumed.