Vaping is when you breathe in the aerosol (or vapor mist) created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette).
Although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) now has the authority to regulate all forms of nicotine, including the nicotine used in e-cigarettes, we still don’t have all the facts about vaping and dental health because the use of e-cigarettes remains recent compared to traditional cigarettes.
Around 8% of people living in the U.S. use e-cigarettes, one major poll shows.
While U.S. adults are still using cigarettes more than e-cigarettes, the number of adults who vape has been increasing, especially among the 18-24 age group. E-cigarettes have been the leading nicotine product used by U.S. adolescents in the past decade.
The results of the 2024 National Youth Tobacco Survey show that 5.9% of middle and high school students use e-cigarettes, followed by nicotine pouches (1.8%) and cigarettes (1.4%). More than 1 in 4 (26.3%) youth e-cigarette users reported that they vape daily.
E-cigarettes (also called vapes) use a battery to heat up liquid inside a special cartridge, creating an aerosol “smoke” that users breathe in. But as the American Lung Association warns, this isn’t harmless water vapor. The liquid (or e-juice) inside vape cartridges usually contains nicotine or cannabis (THC, CBD), along with flavorings and other chemicals.
Nicotine is highly addictive and known to affect brain development in children, teens and young adults. The amount of nicotine in e-cigarettes has increased with vaping's popularity. A study shows that over five years, the average nicotine strength in an e-cigarette increased from 1.7% to 5%, which is double the amount of nicotine you inhale from a pack of cigarettes.
Even cartridges that claim to be nicotine-free have been shown to contain some nicotine.
When the liquid inside an e-cigarette cartridge heats up, more chemical compounds are formed.
Researchers have found the following harmful substances in vape cartridges:
The lithium-ion batteries in vape pens can heat the liquid inside vape cartridges to 400° F in seconds, a CDC resource shows. News reports have documented cases where people have been hurt by e-cigarettes exploding or causing fires inside their mouths.
Using a high heat setting on an e-cigarette also can turn the aerosol more yellow, which could result in tooth discoloration, and make the aerosol stickier, threatening to remain on the teeth for a long time. Research is currently being done to see if stickier aerosol contributes to cavity formation.
A study published in The Journal of the American Dental Association (JADA) found a correlation between people who vape and people with untreated cavities, but more research must be done to determine whether those cavities are caused by vaping.
Quitting takes time and commitment, but there are plenty of free resources and support out there to help you succeed.
Visit smokefree.gov or call 1-800-QUIT-NOW to get started.
Be sure to ask your dentist for suggestions and support, too. Your dentist cares about your health and is there to offer guidance and motivation to help you succeed. In the meantime, make sure to store your tobacco products where children can’t reach them, as nicotine is a toxic substance that can cause illness — and in severe cases, coma or death — if swallowed.
Decades of research show that smoking and smokeless tobacco products are harmful to dental health.
The American Dental Association (ADA) has adopted policies relating to products that contain nicotine, including e-cigarettes. The policies call for dentists to be fully aware of the health risks that come with tobacco use, including higher rates of tooth decay, gum disease, bone damage, tooth loss and more. Dentists are encouraged to screen patients for nicotine use — including tobacco and non-tobacco products — and offer counseling to help people quit.
The ADA is also concerned that marketing some nicotine delivery methods (such as vaping) as less harmful than others is not a viable strategy for preventing deaths and disease caused by tobacco use. View current ADA policies relating to nicotine and tobacco use here.