WHAT ARE ELECTRONIC CIGARETTES

 

• Invented in China by pharmacist Hon Lik, who patented it in 2003.
• A mechanism that heats up liquid nicotine, turning it into vapor that the “smoker” inhales and exhales.
• Re-usable
• Nicotine-free options
• Users coined themselves “vapers” instead of “smokers”

 HOW DO THEY WORK

 

1. User inhales through a mouthpiece
2. Air flow triggers a sensor that switches on a small, battery-powered heater
3. Heater vaporizes liquid nicotine in a small cartridge – light is activated
4. Heater also vaporizes propylene glycol (PEG) in the cartridge
5. User gets a puff of hot gas that feels like tobacco smoke
6. User exhales a cloud of PEG vapor that looks like smoke.

CONCERNS FOR OUR ORAL AND OVERALL HEALTH

 

PROS OF E-CIGS

· Conventional cigarettes have 10x higher the amount of nicotine than e-cigs

· Does not contain tobacco

· Does not cause Halitosis (bad breath)

· No yellow teeth

· Less calculus

CONS OF E-CIGS

 

• Not regulated by the FDA
• Potential stepping stone for teens
• More chemicals are inhaled
• Allows less blood to flow through the veins

 

ROLE OF THE DENTAL HYGIENIST

• Find out the reason why your patients are using e-cigarettes

 

• Educate patients on the risks of using an e-cigarette that contains nicotine

 

• Explain to patients the questionable ingredients in e-cigarettes. eg, Diethyl Glycol, Nitrosamine

 

• We do not recommend patients to use e-cigarettes. But if patients still want to try it, we can give them suggestion to choose and select the appropriate and safe e-cigarette:

Nicotine level

Quality batteries

Ease of use

Multiple charging options

à Customer service