How e-cigarettes ‘raise the risk of gum disease’

VAPING may raise the risk of developing gum disease, a study suggests.

The findings show that e-cigarettes may change the balance of bacteria in the mouth, making infections more likely.

Four in ten vapers had severe gum disease, compared with one in four non-smokers.

They bled more from their gums, and had gums which had receded further from their teeth.

For the study, researchers at New York University recruited 119 subjects, including smokers, nonsmokers and regular vapers.

When the scientists took saliva from the participants, e-cigarette users had more of a bacteria called porphyromonas gingivalis – a major cause of gum disease.

They also had more of another bacteria called veillonella, which evidence suggests may also be linked to the condition. Some experts believe the chemicals in e- cigarettes may help bacteria form a layer between teeth and gums that leads to disease. If the condition is unchecked, it can cause teeth to fall out by destroying the bone that supports them.

Dr Xin Li, co-author of the study and an associate professor at the university’s college of dentistry, said: ‘It is critical that we learn more about the effects of e-cigarette aerosols on the oral microbiome and host inflammatory responses in order to better understand the impact of vaping on human health.’

Published in the journal iScience, the study examined 40 regular smokers, 40 e-cigarette users and 39 people who had never smoked.

It found 72.5 per cent of smokers and 42.5 per cent of vapers had severe gum disease. Both groups had significantly higher rates than the non- smokers, for whom the figure was 28.2 per cent. Tobacco cigarettes are known to raise the risk of gum disease by making harmful bacteria more aggressive and the immune system less able to fight them off.

Professor Deepak Saxena, a coauthor of the study, said oral micro-organisms were ‘of interest as research shows changes in its microbial community as a result of environmental and host factors contribute to a range of health issues’. These include cavities, gum disease, halitosis, and medical conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancers.

Earlier this month England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty said that although e- cigarettes were safer than tobacco, there were questions over longterm harms.