Chapters
Is Vaping Really Safe for Your Teeth?
[00:00:00 – 00:02:56]
Many people assume vaping is harmless for their oral health because it lacks the smoke and tar of cigarettes. However, safer than smoking is not the same as safe. Vaping still delivers nicotine, heat, and a mixture of chemicals directly into the mouth, exposing gums, enamel, and saliva to repeated irritation throughout the day.
One key concern is frequency. Unlike cigarette smokers who step outside at intervals, vapers tend to puff almost continuously, meaning the mouth receives far more exposure overall. Early studies consistently show vaping is not without harm, even if it may be less damaging than cigarettes.
How Heat and Chemicals Irritate Gum Tissue
[00:02:56 – 00:05:04]
Vape aerosols are inhaled at relatively high temperatures, and this heat combined with chemical exposure irritates the delicate soft tissues of the mouth. Laboratory studies have found increased inflammatory markers in gum tissue cells taken from vapers, even in patients without heavy plaque build-up.
The damage can be deceptive. Gums may appear healthy on the surface whilst harbouring deep pockets, bone loss, and bleeding underneath. This pattern is becoming increasingly recognisable in clinical practice, and medical history forms are beginning to include vaping alongside smoking as a recorded habit.
Dry Mouth: A Quietly Expensive Risk
[00:05:04 – 00:06:24]
Dry mouth is one of the most commonly reported side effects of vaping. Nicotine reduces blood flow to the salivary glands and alters saliva composition, which has serious downstream consequences. Saliva neutralises acid, washes away bacteria, and delivers minerals such as calcium and phosphate to remineralise enamel.
When saliva flow drops, the mouth becomes more acidic and more hospitable to harmful bacteria. Left unmanaged, dry mouth quietly accelerates cavities, gum disease, bad breath, and even fungal infections — making it one of the most financially costly risk factors in preventive dentistry.
Staining, Taste Changes, and Vaper’s Tongue
[00:06:24 – 00:11:39]
Vaping generally causes less staining than cigarettes, but the colourants and flavouring agents in some products can produce unusual discolouration — unusual luminous orange or fluorescent yellow tones that differ from typical tobacco staining. The absence of a strong smell can also make it harder to detect the habit.
A lesser-known effect is vaper’s tongue — a temporary loss or alteration of taste caused by dehydration, chemical irritation, or sensory overload from strong flavourings. It is usually reversible once vaping stops and hydration improves, though prolonged cases may take longer to resolve. Persistent taste changes can affect appetite, enjoyment of food, and overall quality of life.
Hidden Gum Disease and Bacterial Imbalance
[00:08:30 – 00:12:49]
Nicotine is a vasoconstrictor, meaning it narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the gums. This suppresses the bleeding response that would normally alert both patient and dentist to gum inflammation, effectively masking disease that continues to progress beneath the surface.
Vaping also disrupts the oral microbiome, creating a state known as dysbiosis — where harmful, disease-associated bacteria out-compete protective species. This imbalance is a key driver of periodontal disease. The biological mechanism is well understood, even if long-term population data is still being gathered.
Vaping and Dental Implant Healing
[00:12:49 – 00:14:46]
Nicotine negatively affects healing and bone metabolism regardless of how it is delivered, and this is well established in implant dentistry. Reduced blood flow, an impaired immune response, and delayed healing all compromise osseointegration — the process by which bone fuses to the implant.
Many specialist periodontists will not place implants unless a patient has stopped smoking or vaping beforehand. If vaping continues after placement, the implant may fail to integrate, become infected, and need to be removed entirely — with the patient then waiting several months before the procedure can be attempted again at additional cost.
Practical Advice for Cutting Down or Quitting
[00:14:46 – 00:16:58]
Reducing vaping frequency is already beneficial — the mouth begins to recover once nicotine exposure decreases. Supporting this recovery with good hydration, meticulous oral hygiene, saliva-supporting products, and regular dental monitoring all make a meaningful difference.
Quitting is more effective with a clear strategy and support rather than willpower alone. Hypnotherapy, in particular, has a solid evidence base, and local Cape Town practice Hypno-smoking (also known as MINDCODE) has helped a number of patients quit cold turkey. Their websites are hypno-smoking.co.za and stopsmokingmindcode.co.za.
Device Explosions: A Real but Rare Risk
[00:16:58 – 00:19:44]
Reports of vaping devices exploding do exist and have caused facial injuries in documented cases. Whilst the risk may be relatively low compared to other health consequences of vaping, it is a genuine consideration — lithium battery failures in small handheld devices are not unheard of.
Ultimately, the far more consistent risks remain those to the gums, saliva, bone, and long-term oral health. If you know someone who vapes or is considering starting, this episode is worth sharing with them.
Transcript
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (0:00 – 1:03)
Hello and welcome to Save Your Money, Save Your Teeth, the podcast where we help you
protect your smile and your wallet with straightforward, practical advice. I’m Eon and, as always,
I’m joined by Dr Clifford Yudelman from OptiSmile, based in Sea Point in Cape Town, and today
we are tackling a topic that causes a lot of confusion, and that is vaping. Many people assume
vaping must be harmless for your teeth and gums because it does not involve the same smoke,
tar, and smell of cigarettes, but is it really safe, or is it simply a different kind of risk?
Today we’re going to look at what vaping may be doing inside the mouth, from dry mouth and
gum inflammation to staining, taste changes, bacteria, implant healing, and even the rare but
very real risk of dental trauma from device explosions. Dr Yudelman, great to have you back.
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (1:03 – 1:29)
Great to be back, thank you. Look, today I do have a lot of info, but I’m going to try and keep it
shorter, because if you vape or smoke, you know who you are. Don’t unsubscribe because now
I’m talking to you. Hopefully this saves a life.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (1:29 – 1:35)
Yes, I hope so too. Okay, so Dr Yudelman, many people think vaping is safe for teeth. Is that
actually true?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (1:35 – 2:56)
Look, they do say that, but safer than smoking is not the same as safe. Vaping exposes users to
fewer combustion products than cigarettes, but you are still getting nicotine, heat, and a cocktail
of chemicals directly into the mouth. From an oral health perspective, that all hits your mouth
before it goes into your lungs, and your gums, your saliva, your enamel, and the healthy germs
that make up your oral microbiome are exposed repeatedly, often many times a day.
When I see people vaping, they just seem to vape non-stop, whereas a heavy smoker will go
out and have a cigarette every half an hour or an hour. If you’re smoking a pack a day, that is
maybe two cigarettes an hour or a bit less. But with vaping, people just seem to puff on them
incessantly, a lot more often than they would a cigarette. While data on vaping is still emerging,
the early studies consistently show it’s not good for you. It might be less harmful than smoking,
but it’s still not good for you.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (2:56 – 3:18)
I think it’s also because a lot of companies and houses still allow people to vape indoors, so
there’s no discipline, no special space or time set aside for it. They just suck on it all the time.
But how does the heat and chemical composition of vape aerosols affect the gums and even the
soft tissues of the mouth?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (3:19 – 5:04)
Vape aerosols are heated, and then you inhale them at relatively high temperatures. The heat
combined with this chemical exposure will definitely irritate the delicate tissues of your gums
and the inside of your mouth. Laboratory studies have shown that e-cigarette vapour increases
inflammatory markers in gum tissue cells. In other words, when they do biopsies or test the
gums of vapers, they are finding that the gums are more inflamed and more reactive, more
prone to inflammation, even if the patient does not have heavy plaque.
It causes visible damage over time, similar to smoking. The gums may look healthy, but I’ve had
patients with deep pockets and no obvious sign that they have been smoking, and now I am
starting to recognise that look. Under the gum, the bone is infected or bleeding, and their gums
look healthy on the surface, but something else is happening from this vaping story, and I’m
beginning to recognise it in more and more patients.
So now I say to them, I am going to change my medical history form. It should say, do you
smoke or vape. And then some people say no, they don’t smoke, but they actually smoke huge
amounts of weed or marijuana, which is a very similar situation. It may or may not be as bad as
smoking, but it is still breathing in some artificial or natural substance, if you believe in herbal
products being better than tobacco.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (5:04 – 5:15)
Okay, and does vaping cause dry mouth, and why is it such a big deal for your teeth and your
gums?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (5:15 – 6:15)
Absolutely. We’ve spoken a lot about dry mouth. Dry mouth is consistently reported as one of
the main side effects of vaping. The nicotine, which is the main thing in these vapes, reduces
blood flow to your salivary glands, and it changes your saliva composition. There are lots of
podcasts about saliva, but just to refresh people’s memories, your saliva is essential for
neutralising acid, washing away bacteria, and delivering minerals like calcium and phosphate to
your teeth to help prevent cavities. When saliva flow drops, your mouth becomes acidic, there is
more bacteria, and dry mouth will give you more cavities, gum disease, bad breath, even fungal
infections. Importantly, these things happen quietly and progress rapidly, so from a preventive
standpoint, dry mouth is one of the most expensive risk factors in dentistry if it is left
unmanaged.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (6:16 – 6:24)
And Doctor, in terms of staining, can vaping stain your teeth in the same way that cigarettes do,
or is it just a myth?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (6:24 – 7:33)
Generally not as badly. But some of them have got colourants or flavouring agents that can give
a weird luminous orange or fluorescent yellow look to teeth that I’ve never seen before. I might
say to someone, oh, you eat a lot of turmeric, and then they’ll say no, I suck on a naartjieflavoured vape or something. These things have all kinds of weird chemicals in them.
Look, it might be less dramatic, and it could appear cleaner. You don’t get that stink or that
smell. Sorry, I shouldn’t be judgemental, but I don’t think if you’re a non-smoker and someone
who is a heavy smoker breathes in your face, that you would consider that smell pleasant. If
you’re an ex-smoker it’s really awful. But I don’t think vaping does that, because you can’t really
smell some of these vapes.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (7:33 – 7:46)
Just a huge amount of smoke going everywhere, but you don’t smell it. Yeah, and nothing
worse than somebody kissing you with an ashtray mouth.
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (7:46 – 8:21)
Oh yes, it’s been a long time since anyone kissed me with an ashtray mouth. You better be
careful, your wife’s listening. But I think the last person was my mom, and she’s been gone for
20 years because of cigarettes. Yes, really. She died from smoking cigarettes. She had a heart
attack when she was 70, and she didn’t stop. She still smoked, and she had another one a year
later. That’s one of the reasons why I’m doing this podcast, just trying to warn people about
smoking, and now vaping.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (8:21 – 8:30)
Doctor, how does nicotine reduce blood flow to the gums and potentially even hide gum
disease?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (8:30 – 9:38)
Nicotine is what they call a vasoconstrictor. It narrows your blood vessels and reduces blood
flow to your gums, and that has a masking effect. Healthy gums don’t bleed, but inflamed gums
do. Nicotine suppresses the bleeding response, and it makes the gums look healthy, but you
can actually have hidden gum disease underneath. That is what we were talking about earlier.
People who vape often have more advanced gum destruction, or periodontal destruction,
underneath.
With a smoker in the chair, you know they’re a smoker, and you can see the damage more
easily. But with vaping, people are often very secretive, like, don’t tell my husband. The
husband or the mom or the child doesn’t know that the person is vaping. It seems like
undercover smoking.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (9:38 – 9:44)
They chew gum or spray aerosol or something afterwards, or they smoke or vape a…
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (9:45 – 9:49)
A peppermint vape, which makes their breath smell fresh.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (9:49 – 10:02)
Exactly, peppermints. That’s how they get away with it. Very clever, actually. Too clever for their
own good. I think it’s going to catch up with them.
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (10:02 – 10:35)
There we go. I said I wasn’t going to rant on. We were going to try to be mature on this subject,
but I think it’s hard not to, as a non-smoker, to recognise how plain stupid it is to smoke or vape.
I don’t know, I can’t say it any other way. If you vape or smoke, I think it’s just a sign of low IQ.
Sorry to the people that do smoke, we are going to get some hate mail. You can’t honestly
smoke or vape and think it’s not going to kill you.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (10:35 – 10:59)
Yes, I’m also wondering about that. It’s always just one more, just one more, nothing’s going to
happen. It always happens to other people, never to you, until it does. And then, to scare them
even more, I believe there is something called vaper’s tongue. What on earth is vaper’s tongue,
and can vaping actually affect your sense of taste eventually?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (10:59 – 11:39)
Yes, so it’s normally a temporary loss or change in the way things taste. We think it is because
of dehydration, chemical irritation, or a sensory overload from all the strong flavourings. The
good news is that it is usually reversible once you stop and your hydration improves. But if it has
been going on for a long time, it could take a while. Taste plays an important role in appetite,
your enjoyment of food, and overall quality of life, and persistent taste alteration should not be
dismissed as trivial.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (11:39 – 11:47)
And are there particular bacteria that thrive more easily in the mouths of people who vape?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (11:47 – 12:49)
Basically, from what we have been saying earlier, the bacteria associated with gum disease and
inflammation are the ones that become more prevalent. When you get this imbalance, it is
known as a dysbiosis, which is where harmful bacteria out-compete the protective species.
Dysbiosis is a key driver of periodontal disease. While all the long-term population data is still
developing, the biological mechanism is very clear. If you change the oral environment and you
change the bacteria that live there, it’s not going to be in your favour, and it’s not going to end
well. And imagine what’s happening in your lungs.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (12:49 – 13:06)
Yes, hectic. I also want to ask you, getting back to dental implants, does vaping affect healing
and the success rate of dental implants, Doctor?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (13:06 – 14:46)
Nicotine negatively affects healing and bone metabolism regardless of how it is delivered. This
is very well established in implant dentistry, and studies on smokers consistently show higher
rates of implant complications and failures. While specific data on vaping is still emerging, the
presence of nicotine alone raises concern. Reduced blood flow, impaired immune response,
and delayed healing all compromise the way the implant fuses to your bone.
Nicotine in any form is a risk factor, and I know most surgeons and specialist periodontists will
not place an implant unless the patient gives up smoking, because there is nothing worse than
going in, having a little hole drilled in your bone, getting an implant placed, it’s not a pleasant
experience and it costs a lot of money. Then you go home, they say don’t smoke or vape, you
smoke or vape anyway, and you go back a couple of weeks later for the check. By then, the
bone should be growing around the implant. The dentist does a few tests and says, sorry, there
is infection around this, or the bone is just not growing. They have got to unscrew it, take it out,
and then do it all over again in six months once everything has healed up. It’s just silly to get an
implant if you’re smoking or vaping.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (14:46 – 14:59)
And Doctor, what practical advice would you give to someone who is listening and trying to cut
down or even quit vaping?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (14:59 – 16:58)
Avoid perfectionism. Just reducing use is already beneficial. Your mouth begins to recover
surprisingly quickly once you reduce the amount of nicotine. Hydration, like drinking lots of
water, saliva support, meticulous oral hygiene, and regular dental monitoring are all important.
Dentists can help you by managing dry mouth. From a broader health perspective, behavioural
support and medical guidance really improve success rates. Quitting is not just about willpower,
it is about a strategy and support.
What has really worked for me over the 11 years I’ve been in Cape Town is that I’ve referred a
number of people to a guy here called Craig at Hypno-smoking. His practice is also known as
MINDCODE. I have sent many people to him, and they have quit cold turkey, never to start
again. One of my office managers went to him years ago, after I told her I would whiten her
teeth for free if she stopped smoking, and she did. He has very strong reviews on Google. His
websites are hypno-smoking.co.za and stopsmokingmindcode.co.za. He specialises in this, and
if you look at the medical journals, hypnosis has been very well proven to work. It is not just
some guy performing magic.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (16:58 – 17:15)
That sounds great. I know I mentioned device explosions earlier, so that’s what we are closing
with today. We sometimes hear stories about vapes exploding. Is it a real dental risk, or is it just
a scary headline, Doctor? What do you think?
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (17:15 – 18:18)
Look, I think in South Africa we are more worried about other things exploding first. I have an ebike, and there have been a number of cases of e-bikes exploding in someone’s garage and
burning the house down. I saw not long ago there was a bicycle shop that sold e-bikes, and they
were all exploding everywhere. So there have been various small gadgets that have exploded in
people’s faces in the last year or two. I don’t know if there have been enough vape explosions
for it to be a good reason on its own to stop vaping, but look, be prepared. It will either be gum
disease and lung cancer, or maybe just blow your head off and get it done with.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (18:18 – 18:46)
I was just going to say blow your teeth out, but head off, sure, let’s go with that. Gosh, okay. So
that was quite an eye-opener today, Dr Yudelman. Thank you so much for helping us, and
hopefully you have converted a few people and made them realise that vaping is not good for
you.
[Dr Clifford Yudelman – OptiSmile] (18:46 – 19:44)
Like I mentioned, I wasn’t going to say anything about my mom and smoking, but when you
mentioned someone kissing you with an ashtray mouth, it just came out. I hated giving my mom
a kiss because she always smelled of cigarettes, and that brought back the memory. So I hope
anyone listening to this, whether they vape or smoke, or someone they care about vapes or
smokes, maybe we touched on it when we were speaking about teenagers, just send them this
episode. And hopefully, if they live in Cape Town, they give Craig at Hypno-smoking a call. It will
save a lot of money, and maybe stop you from getting your head blown off.
[Eon Engelbrecht – E-Radio-SA] (19:44 – 20:32)
Absolutely. Dr Yudelman, thank you so much. This was very, very interesting as always, and
also a bit funny. I really enjoyed it. I think the main takeaway from today’s episode is that vaping
may be less harmful than smoking in some ways, but it does not make it harmless. It can still
affect your gums, your saliva, your bacteria, your healing, and your long-term dental health in
ways that patients often do not realise until the damage has already started. If you found this
episode helpful, subscribe to Save Your Money, Save Your Teeth on your favourite podcast
platform, and share it with someone who vapes or is thinking about starting. You can also visit
OptiSmile.co.za for more dental advice, articles, and information about looking after your teeth
and gums. Until next time, take care of your teeth, and they will take care of you.
[Announcer] (20:32 – 21:39)
Discover the world of dental excellence with OptiSmile. Join us for a weekly podcast featuring
Dr Clifford Yudelman, a seasoned expert with 40 years of dental experience across four
continents. Gain unique insights and expert dental advice by visiting OptiSmile.co.za for articles
that illuminate the path to optimal oral health. If you are seeking unparalleled dental care in
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where global expertise meets local care
Disclaimer: The content provided in this podcast, “Save Your Money Save Your Teeth” on Medical Mondays, is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not intended to serve as dental or medical advice. The insights and opinions expressed by Dr. Clifford Yudelman and any guests are designed to foster a better understanding of dental health, preventive measures, and general well-being, but should not be interpreted as professional dental or medical recommendations.Dr. Clifford Yudelman does not diagnose, treat, or offer prevention strategies for any health conditions directly through this podcast. This platform is not a substitute for the personalized care and advice provided by a licensed dental or healthcare professional. We strongly encourage our listeners to consult with their own dental care providers to address individual dental health needs and concerns.The information shared here aims to empower listeners with knowledge about dental health but must not be used as a basis for making health-related decisions without professional guidance. Your dental care provider is the best source of advice about your dental and overall health. Please always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified health professionals regarding any questions or concerns about your dental health.
