E-Cigarettes, Vaping Tied to Higher Cavity Risk

MONDAY, Nov. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Electronic cigarette or vaping users have a higher risk for developing dental caries, according to a study published in the December issue of the Journal of the American Dental Association.

Karina F. Irusa, from the Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston, and colleagues assessed the association between e-cigarette or vape use and caries risk level among 13,216 patients who attended dental school clinics from 2019 to 2022.

The researchers found that 0.69 percent of dental patients reported e-cigarette or vaping use. Caries risk levels significantly differed between the e-cigarette or vape group and the control group. Low, moderate, and high caries risk categories were seen in 14.5, 25.9, and 59.6 percent, respectively, of the control group compared with 6.6, 14.3, and 79.1 percent, respectively, of the e-cigarette or vape group.

"The use of e-cigarettes or vapes should not only be included in the routine dental-medical history questionnaire, but also among the risk factors that increase a patient's caries risk level. Patients who engage in e-cigarette or vape use may benefit from a more rigorous caries management protocol," the authors write. "A longitudinal assessment is highly recommended as a continuation of our study."

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