A team of US researchers led by an Indian-origin scientist revealed that just a few months of vaping may put healthy people on the brink of oral disease.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, found that the collection of oral bacteria in daily e-cigarette users’ mouths is teeming with potent infection-causing organisms that put vapers at substantial risk for ailments ranging from gum disease to cancer.
In some cases, though the study participants didn’t have an active disease, their bacterial composition resembled that of people with periodontitis, a gum infection that can lead to tooth loss and even be a risk factor for heart and lung disease. The damaging effects were seen with or without nicotine, leading the researchers to suggest that the heated and pressurised liquids in e-cigarette cartridges create the right environment for a dangerous combination of microbes.
“Vaping is such a big assault on the oral environment, and the change happens dramatically and over a short period of time,” said study senior author Purnima Kumar from the Ohio State University.
“Knowing the vaping profile is pathogen-rich, you’re not doing yourself any favours by using vaping to quit smoking,” she added.
The bacteria below the gums are the last line of defence against disease because they are the least likely to be disrupted by environmental changes in the mouth, such as food, toothpaste and tobacco. (IANS)
