Smoking e-cigarettes is detrimental to mouth cells and more, according to the latest research from Université Laval.
With all the attention focused on cigarettes, other products and substitutions have slipped through the cracks. One product in particular is becoming increasingly popular: E-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes use atomizers to create a vapor by heating up artificial juices and flavorings. Because there is no smoke, just vapor, people have assumed that they are safe.
According to the new study, a large number of mouth cells exposed to e-cigarette vapors die in a matter of days.
Dr. Mahmoud Rouabhia reached this conclusion after exposing gingival epithelial cells to e-cigarette vapor.
“Mouth epithelium is the body’s first line of defense against microbial infection,” Dr. Rouabhia said. “This epithelium protects us against several microorganisms living in our mouths.”
The researchers built a model for the study to simulate what happens in a persons mouth when vaping.
Their observations showed that the percentage of dying cells, which was about 2 percent, rose to 18% after one day, 40% after two days and 53% after three days.
“Contrary to what one might think, e-cigarette vapor isn’t just water,” explains Dr. Rouabhia. “Although it doesn’t contain tar compounds like regular cigarette smoke, it exposes mouth tissues and the respiratory tract to compounds produced by heating the vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol, and nicotine aromas in e-cigarette liquid.”
Dr. Rouabhia concluded: “Damage to the defensive barrier in the mouth can increase the risk of infection, inflammation, and gum disease. Over the longer term, it may also increase the risk of cancer. This is what we will be investigating in the future.”
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REFERENCES:
1. “Smoking Electronic Cigarettes Kills Large Number of Mouth Cells.” Université Laval. Université Laval, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2016.
2. “E-Cigarette Vapor Induces an Apoptotic Response in Human Gingival Epithelial Cells Through the Caspase-3 Pathway†.” Wiley Online Library. Journal of Cellular Physiology, n.d. Web. 19 Nov. 2016.
