New research investigates the effects of vaping on gum health.
What is periodontitis? It is diseases that are infections of the structures around the teeth, which includes the gums, periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. In the early stages it’s referred to as gingivitis. In more severe forms of the disease, all of the tissue can be involved. A new study looks at the effects of switching from smoking to vaping has on the disease.
Research is ongoing into the connection between gum disease and:
- Atherosclerosis and heart disease
- Stroke
- Diabetes
- Respiratory disease
Richard Holliday, Specialist Registrar in Restorative Dentistry and NIHR Doctoral Research Fellow at New Castle University, is busy with his doctorate looking at “e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation or harm reduction tool for patients with periodontitis.”
Holliday, speaking at a Global Forum on Nicotine, was cited saying that smokers and alcohol drinkers increase the risk of contracting oral cancer by 38 times, whereby smoking is the biggest risk factor.
He pointed out that clinical studies exist that demonstrated clear improvements when someone stopped smoking and switched to vaping.
Holliday is busy with a feasibility randomised controlled trial of 80 smokers who suffer from periodontitis. All participants are at the severe end of the dental gum disease, all receiving the same treatment, the only difference is the different types of smoking cessation support.
The initial results should be released later this year. Everyone in the vaping industry is eager to see the results.
Read full article here.