Smoking E-Cigarettes Can Cause Gum Damage, Oral Diseases, Study Finds

The use of E-cigarettes or E-cigs has been on the rise in the last few years. Aside from being cost-effective, many users argue that this option is a less hazardous alternative to smoking traditional cigarettes. Nevertheless, the claims are still unsubstantiated. In fact, there has numerous research and studies detailing the harmful effects of e-cigarettes to the body. 

Late last week, a team of medical scientists from the University of Rochester published a report in the journal Oncotarget detailing their discovery surrounding e-cigarettes and their effect on a person's oral health. According to the study, vapors from e-cigarettes cause cells to produce inflammatory proteins that can facilitate development of oral diseases.

"We showed that when the vapors from an e-cigarette are burned, it causes cells to release inflammatory proteins, which in turn aggravate stress within cells, resulting in damage that could lead to various oral diseases" explained Irfan Rahman, lead researcher.

Rahman further explains that there are several factors surrounding e-cigarette use that contribute to the development of oral diseases. Aside from the frequency of use, some juice flavors damage cells worse than others. He also reminds that like cigarettes, e-cigs contain nicotine which is known to have a negative effect on the gums.  

"We learned that the flavorings-some more than others -- made the damage to the cells even worse. It's important to remember that e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is known to contribute to gum disease"  detailed Rahman as reported by Science Daily.

Rahman was quick to admit however that there is more research needed in order to have a better understanding of the effects of e-cigs to the body.

According to a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control, 13 percent of the total population of the country has tried using an e-cigarette. Of the 13 percent, 3 percent are regular users of vapes and other similar device. This percentage accounts for more than 10 million Americans.