For you who like to smoke, vapour is one of the alternatives that can be used besides conventional cigarettes. Vapour or e-cigarettes are electronic cigarettes that are becoming a trend around the world. Besides having a more fashionable design, vapour is also considered safer. Not only for smokers, e-cigarettes or vape also attract a lot of interest from non-smokers.

Unlike conventional cigarettes that contain tobacco, vape is considered to be safer, since people believe that it will not increase the risk of various diseases such as lung damage and cancer. However, it turns out that vape can also have a negative impact on the body. According to the results of a recent study conducted by NYU College of Dentistry, researchers found that vaping can affect oral microbiomes, which can increase the risk of infection. This research has been published in the iScience journal.

In their study, the researchers made comparisons between 3 groups (vape smokers, conventional smokers, and nonsmokers). After collecting saliva samples from 119 participants, researchers conducted genetic sequencing to look at existing microbiomes. In addition, to observe its effect on body cells, researchers cultured the participants’ pharyngeal cells and exposed them to aerosols derived from vape.

The results showed that those who smoke using vape are known to experience significant changes in their oral microbiomes. When compared with non-smokers and conventional smokers, vape users are known to have higher amounts of Porphyromonas and Veillonella bacteria - bacteria associated with gum disease. In addition, exposure to aerosol derived from vape can also affect cell health. Cells are more easily infected by bacteria and cause inflammation.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source(s):

• Pushalkar, S., Paul B., Li, Q., et al (2020). Electronic Cigarette Aerosol Modulates the Oral Microbiome and Increases the Risk of Infection. iScience, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.isci.2020.100884.
• Medical News Today - Vaping changes in oral microbiome and raises infection risk (2020). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/vaping-changes-oral-microbiome-and-raises-infection-risk, 16 March 2020.