Does Vaping Stain Teeth? (Key Risks & How to Fix It)

 

Delicious flavors and occasional vape tricks are why we love vaping, isn’t it? 

But you may be shocked to know you know that vapes contain ingredients, like nicotine, that may cause several oral health risks.

Now you may be wondering  —  does vaping stain teeth?

The short answer is yes. Long-term nicotine exposure from vaping can dampen the shine in your smile and comes with several other oral health risks.

Worry not!

This article will prepare you for everything, from how to get vape stains off your teeth to avoiding these stains in the first place. We’ll also compare vaping stains to those caused by cigarette smoke and share a safer vaping alternative (from Cyclone Pods).

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    Does Vaping Stain Teeth?

    As we mentioned above, vaping does stain your teeth.

    But if you’re looking to point fingers, two specific culprits are to blame for the vandalism of your teeth — nicotine and coloring agents.

    Let’s shine a light on these substances to get to the bottom of this attack on your pearly whites:

    • When nicotine comes into contact with oxygen, it turns brown almost instantly. This discolored mixture of air and stimulant gets absorbed by the enamel of your teeth — retaining some of its colors. 
    • The coloring agents in vape juices have a similar effect. The coloring agents in your e-liquid pass through your teeth, staining their enamel (think red stains on your teeth after having colored drinks like red wine or grape juice.)

    Luckily, the stained teeth from coloring agents are as easy to remove – a quick round of brushing and some mouthwash should do the trick (more on this later).

    Unfortunately, stained teeth caused by long-term nicotine exposure can be much more challenging to restore.

    But there’s light at the end of the tunnel!

    By using nicotine-free vapes, you can still enjoy the pleasures of vaping without worrying about those ugly nicotine stains. Besides, it’ll also save you from unnecessary exposure to the dental health risks and side effects of nicotine.



    Speaking of which.

    Other Oral Health Risks Of Vaping Nicotine E-Liquids

    Here are some other unpleasant oral health risks and side effects from nicotine vaping that can impact your dental health and oral hygiene.

    1. Dry Mouth

    Also known as “cottonmouth,” dry mouth is a common oral health problem of nicotine vaping that every vaper experiences at some point. 

    It causes your mouth to dry up and feel parched.

    Here’s why it happens:

    Some humectants in e-liquids (substances that absorb moisture), like propylene glycol, can absorb most of the moisture in your mouth — leading to dryness. 

    Aside from causing general bad breath, dry mouth can increase plaque development and difficulty chewing or swallowing (which may lead to poor nutrition).

    Long story short — drink some water when you experience a dry mouth. A breath mint wouldn't hurt, either.

    2. Gum Disease

    Nicotine restricts blood flow to the gums, regardless of whether it’s vaped or smoked. This dramatically increases the risk of developing gum disease. 

    If left untreated, these infections may lead to gum inflammation conditions like gingivitis or periodontal disease (a less common but severe oral health problem).

    But that’s not all.

    Some nicotine e-liquids may contain chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde, which can further increase the risk of developing gum tissue disease.

    3. Tooth Decay

    Sugary candies and soft drinks have a new ally in vapes in their battle against healthy teeth. 

    Vaping can increase bacteria levels in the mouth, leading to:

    • Tooth decay
    • Teeth sensitivity
    • Cavities
    • Mouth sores
    • Tooth loss and oral cancer (mouth cancer) — if bacteria build-up is left untreated

    Note: Adults over 20 should have an oral cancer screening every three years, and adults over 40 should have annual screenings.

    Moving on, the aerosols from vaporizing a sweet-flavored vaping liquid have chemical and physical properties similar to high-sucrose acidic drinks and gelatinous candies. 

    A 2018 study revealed that these aerosols increase bacteria adhesion to tooth enamel by four times (x4), especially in the lining of the gums. This significantly increases the risk of needing a root canal or dental crown caps down the road.

    4. Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)

    The nicotine in vapes and tobacco products is a stimulant — and a highly addictive one at that. 

    It’s known to give you a sudden increase in energy levels, contributing to restlessness.

    So when you vape nicotine, it can induce or worsen restlessness symptoms like teeth grinding or clenching — typically during sleep. 

    If untreated, bruxism can wear away at tooth enamel and cause jaw pain, tooth sensitivity, headaches, and potentially tooth loss.

    Together, nicotine-induced bruxism and teeth staining can wreak havoc on the protective enamel and compromise your dental health severely.

    5. Gum Recession 

    Vaping (as well as smoking cigarettes) can cause gum recession due to the death of gum tissue from nicotine.

    Gum recession causes your gum tissue to pull away from your teeth, exposing the roots underneath. It's a fairly uncommon (but severe) gum disease. While it can’t be cured, timely treatment can help prevent the condition from worsening.

    How Do You Get Vape Stains Off Your Teeth?

    If you don’t want to dish out thousands of dollars for cosmetic dentistry, we have a few easier ways you can whiten and strengthen the enamel on your teeth. Here are two common methods you can try:

    • Hydrogen peroxide: Dilute a small amount (one ounce or less) of hydrogen peroxide in water and use it to rinse your mouth. After spitting it out, thoroughly rinse your mouth with fresh water.

      This mixture is a common household remedy to remove yellow teeth stains.
    • Teeth whitening strips: Buy some teeth whitening strips from your local pharmacist or grocery store. Follow the instructions on the package to apply and remove the strips.

    Does Vaping Stain Teeth More Than Smoking?

    No, vaping doesn't stain your teeth more than smoking traditional cigarettes.

    While nicotine can stain and damage your teeth over time, it's incomparable to the damage caused by the tar and ash in cigarette smoke. 

    Here’s the deal:

    The tar in tobacco cigarette smoking fills the pores in your teeth, causing excessive and faster tooth discoloration (yellow teeth) over time. Luckily, vapes do not contain tar, so their teeth staining effect is less severe than cigarette smoking.

    But there’s no surprise there. Experts believe that traditional cigarette smoking is much more damaging to your health than vaping. And some of these cigarette smoking effects can be mitigated to an extent through vaping.

    How Do I Avoid Staining My Teeth From Vaping?

    We now know that the teeth staining from vaping nicotine is significantly less severe than from smoking tobacco cigarettes. 

    However, nicotine is the common link between the two. By eliminating nicotine from your vaping routine, you can mitigate the risk of developing yellow teeth.

    Welcome nicotine-free vapes to the stage.

    As mentioned before, nicotine-free vapes drastically reduce the risk of tooth stains from vaping. They are gaining popularity for offering an incredible vaping experience without exposing users to nicotine's unnecessary and harmful side effects!

    And that’s not all!

    The absence of nicotine in these vapes also reduces the harshness and throat irritation that you commonly experience while using regular cigarettes and vapes.

    The best part?

    Nicotine-free vapes allow you to experience richer and more diverse flavor profiles from vaping liquid without sacrificing your confidence to smile!

    If you want to step up your vaping experience, we know just where to go.

    Experience Better Vaping With Cyclone Pods

    Let’s recap — vaping nicotine can cause tooth discoloration, bad breath, mouth sores, tooth sensitivity, and mouth cancer. 

    It seems like enough reasons to tip your favor toward quitting vaping (or, at the very least, improve your oral hygiene beyond the need to prevent cavities).

    But why give up something you love when you can simply switch to a safer alternative?

    Say hello to Cyclone Pods!

    Cyclone Pods is a US-based vape company that is aiming to make vaping safer and more accessible with their nicotine-free vape range, which is free from harmful chemical compounds like:

    • Nicotine
    • Diacetyl 
    • Vitamin E acetate
    • Formaldehyde 

    Looking to test out a nicotine-free vaping device for yourself?

    Try the Gust Super from Cyclone Pods. It packs in over 5000 puffs and comes in 15 delicious flavors, including:

    • Mint
    • Mango
    • Strawberry
    • Watermelon

    Or, if you prefer a longer-lasting vaping device with refillable pods, try out the Thunder Device.

    Now, you can begin vaping with a health-first mindset by removing harmful and unnecessary chemicals like nicotine from your vape products and routine.

    So what are you waiting for?

    Head over to Cyclone Pods and explore better vaping today.

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