Continued e-cigarette use and oral health: A critical review of the literature

Abstract

The use of devices such as electronic cigarettes has become an object of common use and can cause harm to the health of the individual and the community. Objective: To identify the impact of continuous use of electronic cigarettes on oral health through a critical review of the literature. Methodology: The following guiding question was asked: "Does the continuous use of electronic cigarettes cause damage to the oral cavity?". The survey was conducted until May 2023 without language restriction in the MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and manual search databases with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Results: The continuous use of nicotine-rich e-cigarettes caused a higher rate of plaque, gingival bleeding and depth of the pouch on probing, only when compared to non-smokers. Conclusion: In the present literature, there was no agreement among the authors about a greater harm to oral health resulting from the use of electronic cigarettes. However, due to the notifications of possible impairments to the individual's health, studies are being carried out with long-term evaluations.

DOI:https://doi.org/10.56238/sevenIVmulti2023-078