Vapes, or e-cigarettes, offer an affordable, discreet, and less antisocial alternative to traditional cigarettes. Vaping can hurt heart health, lung health, dental health, and more.

While many people, especially young people, are drawn to the vast variety of flavors that vapes are available in, these are contributing factors to vapes' effects on dental health. Here, we look further into whether vaping leads to yellow teeth and other possible dental issues associated with vaping. 

Does Vaping Make Your Teeth Yellow?

Most vape liquid contains nicotine, which can cause staining to your teeth after prolonged use. However, vaping won’t cause as much discoloration as traditional smoking. Here, we look at the effect of vaping on oral health. 

How Vaping Affects Oral Health

Vaping vs. Smoking: What’s the Difference?

Vaping is an alternative to traditional smoking that has been shown to be less harmful to the body. According to one study by Tobacco Use Insights, “vaping alone presents less harm to blood pressure and heart rate regulation than the use of traditional combustible cigarettes.”

One of the ways in which vaping is less harmful than traditional cigarettes is the absence of tar in vaping. Tar sticks to the enamel of teeth, causing discoloration, which is why some smokers have yellow or even brown teeth. 

Nicotine and Its Impact on Teeth

While vaping may be less harmful to dental health than traditional cigarettes, the nicotine contained in e-liquid can cause oral hygiene issues by reducing blood flow to the mouth, increasing dry mouth, and increasing the levels of plaque in the mouth, plaque calcium concentration, inflammation, and more.

The decreased blood flow to the mouth means teeth aren’t getting essential nutrients to replenish enamel, while dry mouth means less saliva can clean away food particles from the mouth. 

Other Ingredients: Could They Contribute to Staining?

Onestudy found that “novel tobacco and nicotine products such as E‐cigarettes and HTPs cause staining of dental hard tissues and dental materials.” This staining is partly down to the flavorings and additives in vape juices. These sweet chemicals can cause enamel to break down and lead to yellowing of the teeth. 

The Link Between Dry Mouth and Teeth Discoloration

What Is Dry Mouth (Xerostomia)?

Xerostomia, more commonly known as dry mouth, is something that most vapers and smokers will know well. Vape liquids contain propylene glycol and glycerin that lead to dry mouth after use.

Taking a vape hit can draw moisture from the mouth to increase the vapor in the mouth. Reducing the amount of saliva in the mouth is bad news for dental health, especially if you wear dentures because saliva plays a crucial part in cleaning out particles in the mouth. 

Dry Mouth’s Effect on Teeth

Continuous or ongoing dry mouth can lead to plaque buildup, tooth decay, and even gum disease. You can try to combat the effects of dry mouth from vaping by having a good oral hygiene routine, increasing your water intake, and even using a humidifier. 

Comparing Vaping with Other Causes of Yellow Teeth

Vaping vs. Coffee, Tea, and Other Common Stains

Maintaining healthy white teeth is difficult when there are so many things that we love that can cause stains. While coffee, tea, and red wine can cause stains, one study found that “cigarette smoke, red wine, snus and coffee stained enamel.

Exposure to THP, EC or modern oral product extracts for 86 days resulted in minimal enamel staining. Further studies are required to assess the long-term impact on staining and the oral cavity following consumer exclusive use of EC, THP or modern oral products.” 

Coffee and tea stain teeth due to the tannins they contain. Meanwhile, vaping causes stains predominantly through the flavoring agents. People who consume a lot of coffee or black tea may notice a more pronounced teeth discoloration at first, while those with staining from vapes may not notice it until later. 

Lifestyle Factors and Their Role in Discoloration

Vaping has been linked to other unhealthy habits like a poor diet and lack of exercise. If you combine vaping with a diet that includes lots of sugary foods and fast food, the damage to your teeth will be multiplied.

Onestudy highlights that “insufficient nutritional intake and poor dietary habits increase the risk of oral diseases, such as dental caries, in older adults. On the other hand, in older adults, poor oral conditions such as periodontal disease may induce pain, infection, and tooth loss, affecting nutritional intake.” 

Can Vaping Cause Long-Term Yellowing of Teeth?

What Research Says

While there is still limited research into this subject, one study found that “aerosol from Electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) showed similar discoloration levels as cigarette smoking (CS).”

While another study in South Korea found “long-term smoking was closely related to poor periodontal health,” they also discovered a relatively short period of smoking cessation, less than five years, had a positive impact on periodontal disease,” which is a positive outlook for any quitters out there who are worried about their teeth not bouncing back.

However, to honestly know long-term outcomes, there is a need for further research to understand the long-term effects of vaping on oral health. 

Personal Factors That Might Influence Teeth Discoloration

A range of personal factors may negatively impact dental health, including side effects of medication, dental trauma, and even genetics. So, while vaping negatively impacts the color of teeth, a wide range of factors may also contribute. 

How to Prevent Teeth Yellowing if You Vape

Oral Hygiene Tips for Vapers

It is even more important for somebody who vapes to take care of teeth through regular brushing, flossing, and dental checkups for deep cleans to reduce plaque buildup. To give your mouth and body a fighting chance of combatting staining, stay hydrated to ensure your saliva sticks around in the mouth. 

Choosing Low-Nicotine or Nicotine-Free Vapes

To reduce the impact of nicotine on the teeth and overall health, you may choose a low-nicotine or nicotine-free vape instead. Additionally, you can opt for a flavorless e-liquid or one with fewer additives. 

Use of Teeth Whitening Products

Teeth whitening products can positively affect an individual's confidence, especially those later in life with more discolored teeth that simply a good oral hygiene routine can no longer aid. However, there are side effects like sensitivity and gum irritation associated with these products. 

Conclusion

Vaping can contribute to yellowing teeth indirectly through dry mouth and nicotine, but its impact is less direct than traditional smoking. If you want to mitigate the adverse effects of vaping on oral health, it’s vital to maintain a good oral hygiene routine that includes regular brushing, flossing, and visits to a dentist.

People who vape can help their bodies fight plaque and discoloration by staying hydrated, using e-liquids with few additives, and having longer breaks between hitting the vape.