Vaping is often discussed as a safe alternative to smoking tobacco, but it’s important to understand that that’s necessarily not true. Because vaping is relatively new, little is known about the long-term effects on oral health. If you’ve recently received orthodontic care, you want to make sure you’re doing everything possible to protect your smile, so use this guide on vaping to help make healthy decisions. 

The Connection Between Vaping & Oral Health

What Is Vaping?

Vaping devices, sometimes called electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, vaporize flavored liquids, called e-juice, into aerosol forms that can be inhaled and exhaled. E-juice can contain nicotine, and many people use these devices to quit smoking or as a replacement for smokeless tobacco.

What Are the Risks?

The American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists are both opposed to vaping. Nicotine is proven to restrict blood flow in the mouth, which can weaken and lead to the destruction of gum tissue. This may also make patients more susceptible to decay, gum disease, and other oral health complications. Dry mouth can be another issue after long-term vaping, which can accelerate these issues.

Since your mouth is in a constantly weakened state from vaping, you’ll respond much more slowly to orthodontic treatment. Should you develop cavities or gum disease—which can cause tooth loss—you may need to pause or even abandon orthodontic treatment so these problems can be addressed. There’s also a chance you may bump your vaping device into your teeth and damage your braces, and vaping mouthpieces can contain countless bacteria that create infections in your mouth, so take steps to stop today.

You want to ensure you get lasting results from orthodontic care, so that bite issues and alignment problems are fully resolved. Quitting vaping also keeps teeth whiter and makes it easier to prevent decay and other oral health issues.

If you’d like to explore orthodontic care, contact Delgado Orthodontics. Based in North Richland Hills, TX, this practice offers many orthodontic and cosmetic dentistry solutions. They’ll carefully assess your needs and offer treatment options, including adult braces or Invisalign®, which you can begin learning about on their website. Call (817) 282-1821 to schedule an exam and connect on Facebook for more oral health tips.