The impact of vapes and electronic cigarettes on the oral mucosa: a literature review

Relevance. Over the past few years, electronic cigarettes have gained popularity as an alternative means of nicotine consumption. In Russia, the number of individuals using vapes has reached 4.2 million. According to studies by Russian addiction specialists, 8.5% of adolescents aged 13–15 in Russia use electronic cigarettes, with prevalence rates of 10.3% among boys and 6.8% among girls. The oral tissues, particularly the mucosa, are the first point of contact with electronic cigarettes, directly exposed to the adverse effects of vape liquid components.

Objective. To investigate the effects of vapes on oral health, with a particular focus on the oral mucosa and associated structures.

Materials and methods. A total of 37 sources were selected for analysis, including 16 articles from the eLibrary database, 5 from CyberLeninka, and 4 from databases such as Wiley, Taylor & Francis Online, and ScienceDirect. The search was conducted using the query "the impact of vapes on the oral mucosa" and keywords such as "electronic cigarette", "vapes," "oral health," "oral mucosa", and "smoking," in both Russian and English. Preference was given to materials published between 2014 and 2023 that directly addressed the topic, described conducted studies, and provided conclusions. Additionally, a manual search was performed within the reference lists of relevant articles to identify suitable publications.

Results. A review of the literature revealed that electronic cigarettes adversely affect oral health, causing irritation of the mucosa and periodontium, salivary gland disorders, demineralization of dental hard tissues, and alterations in the pH of oral fluids.

Conclusion. The impact of vapes on oral health remains insufficiently studied. Further experiments and long-term analyses are necessary to more accurately assess the effects of vape chemical components on oral tissues.

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