Examining the Impact of E-Cigarette Use on Oral Health: A Cross-Sectional Study from Lahore, Pakistan
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68599/3wq5hb28Keywords:
e-cigarettes, vaping, periodontal disease, dental caries, oral mucosa, nicotine, tobacco harm reductionAbstract
Background: Electronic cigarettes are widely marketed as a safer substitute for conventional smoking, yet their consequences for the oral cavity remain comparatively under-studied.
Objective: To determine the prevalence and pattern of oral mucosal, dental, tongue and gingival abnormalities among e-cigarette users in Lahore, and to examine how these findings relate to duration of use, nicotine strength, age and gender.
Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among the general population of Lahore over a period of 6–8 months. A total of 385 e-cigarette users were examined and interviewed using a structured proforma; data were analysed in SPSS using the chi-square test, with p≤.05 taken as significant.
Results: Oral abnormalities were common across all sites examined. Ulceration affected 154 participants on the oral mucosa (40.0%) and 168 on the tongue (43.6%); carious teeth were recorded in 213 participants (55.3%); lip pigmentation was present in 175 participants (45.5%); and moderate gingival inflammation with bleeding was seen in 140 participants (36.4%). Findings with no abnormality ranged from 8.3% (teeth) to 23.1% (tongue) across sites. Users with 1–2 years of e-cigarette exposure and those consuming 11–20 mg nicotine e-liquids consistently showed the highest burden of abnormal findings (p<.05 for nearly all associations tested). Participants aged 18–30 years were the most affected age group, and females showed both a greater tendency toward long-term use and more severe oral findings than males.
Conclusion: E-cigarette use is associated with a substantial burden of oral mucosal, dental and gingival changes, particularly among younger users, women, and those using moderate-to-high nicotine concentrations for one to two years. These findings support the integration of oral health screening into e-cigarette safety assessment and public health messaging and point to the need for longitudinal work to establish causality.
