Latest Science Journal Study on the Harms of Vaping

Currently, there are about 10 million people aged 15 and above using e-cigarettes in China, with the highest usage rate among young people aged 15-24. In addition to the addictive nicotine, e-cigarettes release aerosols that contain many known carcinogens. The additives and flavorings added to the e-liquid also produce harmful substances when heated. However, e-cigarettes are referred to by consumers and the industry as smoking cessation aids, believed to be safer than traditional cigarettes.

The human oral cavity contains an open microbial ecosystem with over 700 types of bacteria. Oral health is closely related to a stable microbial ecosystem, and changes in these microbial communities can trigger mild inflammatory host responses that lead to other diseases. Previous studies have shown that smoking affects the composition of oral microbiota and increases the risk of periodontal disease. Although the impact of e-cigarettes on the respiratory system is increasingly recognized, research on their effects on oral health is still insufficient.

Recently, researchers from Ohio State University conducted a study on the impact of e-cigarettes on the gingival microbiome involving 123 volunteers. They found that using e-cigarettes leads to an overexpression of pathogens in the oral cavity, increased virulence, and promotes the occurrence of oral inflammation, making the oral environment of normal individuals comparable to that of patients with severe periodontal disease. The related research results were published on May 27 in the journal Science Advances.
 
The researchers collected subgingival plaque samples from the anterior teeth of 20 e-cigarette users and performed whole-genome sequencing on the microbial samples, creating a bacterial gene database for the subgingival microbiome of e-cigarette users. They then conducted a comparative study of the oral microbiota composition between 25 smokers and 25 non-smokers, finding that compared to smokers and the control group, the microbiome of e-cigarette users exhibited enrichment of genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and protein and amino acid metabolism, and contained more pro-inflammatory cytokines and genes related to stress response, environmental response regulation, and heavy metal transport. This indicates that e-cigarette aerosols significantly affect the homeostasis and population of oral microbiota.
 
Phylogenetic, functional, and immune characteristics of the subgingival microbiome of e-cigarette users
 
Differences in the microbiome structure and function among e-cigarette users, smokers, and non-smokers

Due to the greater virulence characteristics displayed by the e-cigarette users’ genomes compared to the control group, the researchers quantified the levels of eight cytokines related to inflammatory responses in the subjects. Compared to non-smokers, the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in e-cigarette and cigarette users were significantly elevated, while the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines were lower. This indicates that both e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes carry the risk of promoting greater inflammation.
 
Inflammatory burden caused by the microbiota affected by e-cigarettes

The researchers then conducted a comparative analysis of the microbiomes of 25 individuals who used both conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes and 25 individuals who switched from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes. They found that the microbiomes of dual users and former smokers showed significantly higher similarity to e-cigarette users compared to non-smokers and smokers. This indicates that the harm to the oral bacteria of long-term tobacco users also increases after three months of using e-cigarettes.

In addition, the researchers used transcriptome sequencing, confocal microscopy, and electron microscopy to demonstrate in vitro that components in e-cigarettes, such as carbon-rich ethylene glycol/glycerin media, are important catalysts that change the structure of biofilms within 24 hours of exposure, which can have downstream effects on biofilm structure.

In summary, this study indicates that e-cigarettes also increase harm to the oral cavity and the occurrence of inflammatory responses. Whether it’s conventional cigarettes or e-cigarettes, everyone should remind themselves that any form of smoking is harmful to health, and quitting smoking as early as possible is the most effective measure.

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References:

[1] Adverse effects of electronic cigarettes on the disease-naive oral microbiome#p#分页标题#e#

[2] There are about 10 million people aged 15 and above using e-cigarettes in China.