E-cigarettes and oral diseases: Impact on teeth, gums and microbiome

Summaries 1 min 372

Font Size

Created On: 19/04/2025

E-cigarettes are a popular smoking alternative, especially among former smokers and young adults, but their long-term health effects, including on oral health, remain unclear.

See All

Key take away

The use of electronic cigarettes or e-smoking disrupts the oral microbiome and saliva, escalating the risk of oral diseases.

Background

E-cigarettes are a popular smoking alternative, especially among former smokers and young adults, but their long-term health effects, including on oral health, remain unclear. This narrative review explored the impact of e-cigarette use on oral health, centring on mucosal lesions, microbial shifts, and saliva composition changes.

Method

A literature search was conducted across Scopus, Google Scholar and PubMed (2016–2023), including clinical trials and in vivo/in vitro studies on e-cigarettes' impact on oral health.

Result

E-cigarettes affect the oral cavity, which is directly exposed to the chemicals in their aerosols. Teeth discolouration, dental caries, periodontal diseases, and oral mucosal lesions, including oral cancer are associated with the use of electronic cigarettes. E-cigarette aerosols may also disrupt the oral microbiome by constraining beneficial bacteria and encouraging harmful bacteria linked to various oral conditions. Additionally, e-cigarettes change saliva composition, plummeting its antibacterial and antioxidant functions, thereby increasing the risk of oral diseases.