E-cigarettes might lead to oral disease, study suggests

What are e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes)?
E-cigarettes, also known as electronic cigarettes and vaporizer cigarettes are devices that emit doses of vaporized nicotine that are inhaled. The device is battery-operated and can also emit non-nicotine vaporized solutions. Manufacturers say they are an alternative for tobacco smokers who want to avoid inhaling smoke. Tobacco smoke contains over 4,000 different chemicals, many of which are hazardous for human health.

The electronic cigarette first entered the market in China in 2004. In 2003, Hon Lik, a pharmacist from China invented the device. Most of the current models are automatic - as the user sucks on it, a sensor activates a heating element that vaporizes a liquid solution held in the mouthpiece. The user can choose whether or not to have nicotine in the flavored liquid solution. In older models (manual models), there is a little button which turns the heating element on and off. An LED indicates whether the device has been activated when the user inhales.


Published in the journal PLOS One, the study reveals that the vapor of e-cigarettes (electronic cigarettes) contains toxic compounds and nanoparticles that destroy the outer later of skin cells in the mouth.

The researchers - led by Dr. Shen Hu, an associate professor of oral biology at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) - came to their conclusion by analyzing the effects of e-cigarette vapor on cell cultures in laboratory tests.

In the US, the use of e-cigarettes tripled from 4.5% in 2013 to 13.4% in 2014 among high school students, and from 1.1% in 2013 to 3.9% in 2014 among middle school students, surpassing rates of youth cigarette smoking. In the 25-44-year age group, 20% of Americans smoke e-cigarettes.

While teens smoke them because they are trendy, older smokers are turning to them in an attempt to give up smoking. Interestingly, many teens who smoke

The team gathered cell cultures from the top layer of the oral cavity - specifically, the area of the mouth behind the teeth and gums.

Using a machine that generates e-cigarette vapor, effectively simulating human e-cigarette use, the researchers assessed the substances present in the vapor and measured the particle concentration of these substances. Additionally, the team exposed the cell cultures to two brands of e-cigarette vapor for 24 hours and monitored the effects.

E-cigarette vapor destroyed 85 percent of oral cavity cells

As well as nicotine and menthol, the researchers found that the e-cigarette vapors consisted of metal, silica, and carbon nanoparticles. The concentration of these substances depended on the brand and flavor of the vapor.

On assessing the effects of e-cigarette vapor on oral cavity cell cultures, the researchers found that the vapor reduced levels of glutathione within the cells, which is an important antioxidant that protects them from damage. As a result, the e-cigarette vapor destroyed around 85 percent of the cells.
 
Given the rising popularity of e-cigarettes across the globe, the researchers believe their findings may have important implications for human health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 2011-2012, e-cigarette use more than doubled among middle and high school students in the United States, and in 2014, more than a fifth of adults who currently smoke reported also using e-cigarettes.

While many studies have suggested that e-cigarettes are an effective tool to help smokers quit, the negative health implications of the devices have been unclear.

Dr. Hu and colleagues say research into the health risks of e-cigarette use has been limited, particularly when it comes to the effects the devices may have on oral health.

Based on their findings, the researchers call for health care providers to increase public awareness of the potential health risks e-cigarettes might pose.

The team now plans to conduct human studies that will further assess how e-cigarette use impacts oral health.
"A small but significant portion of dental patients at UCLA Dental Clinics have used e-cigarettes, which will provide sufficient patient resources for our planned studies," says Dr. Hu. "Our hope is to develop a screening model to help predict toxicity levels of e-cigarette products, so that consumers are better informed."