Anyone seen their dentist since quiting?

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dave8944

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People are always talking about how much better they feel not smoking. I've always exercised and never had breathing or health problems even after 25 years of smoking. However, my dentist has really noticed the benefits of quiting for the plaque on my teeth. I just had another cleaning (quit 1.5 yrs ago) and it took just a few minutes. It's a big change from when I smoked and it would take half an hour to clean the plague off my teeth. I wonder why smoking makes plague so much worse.
 

Zurd

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I'd love to hear more people about this, as for me I can't wait to go see my dentist and hear his comment about my teeth now that I don't smoke. Every year he always tells me that I should stop smoking, unfortunately my next appointment is january 2011 :(

dave: no wonder smoke is so bad for your teeth when you compare it to the stains it leaves everywhere! I'd say the tar in analogs ain't helping much :D
 

Torke

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My teeth are terrible from smoking 20+ years. I've been vaping for almost 2 months now and have a dentist appt coming up in 2 weeks. I couldn't wait to see what she had to say this time but last night I chipped a small piece of my tooth chewing on a fingernail.

Now I don't blame the chip on vaping but it made me curious what kind of affect vaping have on teeth and if it was better or worse than smoking.
 

Wafflestomper

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I was wondering about this the other day. My dentist said that the main reason smoking is bad for the mouth, is that it dries it out. I'd be lying if I thought for a second that vaping wasn't doing the same thing; teeth are certainly a bit whiter, but that is cosmetic.

I also wondered about this.

I'm not sure if PG is a solvent, but I've heard it has antibacterial properties which is probably beneficial.

I could google it I guess, but that would require work.
 

Wafflestomper

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I believe that PG has viricidal properties, and breaks down to lactic acid. VG breaks down to glucose.

Hmm.. I guess tooth decay isn't caused by virii... there goes that theory.

Let's try this one.... Cigarrettes smoking causes vasoconstriction which can reduce blood flow in the gums?

I know most Docs say its the nicotene that cause the vasoconstriction, but my blood pressure is better after vaping... so I imagine there is a super evil pesticide in there that is even worse.
 

D103

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I was wondering about this the other day. My dentist said that the main reason smoking is bad for the mouth, is that it dries it out. I'd be lying if I thought for a second that vaping wasn't doing the same thing; teeth are certainly a bit whiter, but that is cosmetic.

Mr. Grenage, you either just made that up or your dentist is a ...... Look it up - smoking helps the formation of bacteria in plaque which leads to tooth loss. Smoking also initiates gum diseases. I've noticed in a lot of your posts you have a tendency to make negative comments about electronic cigarettes - you are quick to say that you like vaping but....you always seem to get the negative comment in there. What's up with that?
 

Grenage

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Mr. Grenage, you either just made that up or your dentist is a ...... Look it up - smoking helps the formation of bacteria in plaque which leads to tooth loss. Smoking also initiates gum diseases. I've noticed in a lot of your posts you have a tendency to make negative comments about electronic cigarettes - you are quick to say that you like vaping but....you always seem to get the negative comment in there. What's up with that?

Negative comments? If you mean being realistic, then yes. I know there are plenty of people that will blindly vape away and scream about how it's not at all harmful, but I'm not one of them. Because something is horrendously bad (smoking), by contrast, alternatives can look very good.

I am however, a vaper. ;)

As for my dentist being an idiot; he's not the first professional I've heard say that the desiccative and vasoconstrictive properties of smoking are what cause poor blood flow, which can lead to gum recession, which can lead to bacterial colonisation, which can lead to tooth decay and gum diseases.
 

kristin

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Found this on healthyteeth.org:
Tobacco contains many substances known to be cytotoxic (destructive to your body's cells and tissues). Smokers have more calculus (hardened dental plaque) than nonsmokers, and heavy smokers have more calculus than light smokers. The Nicotine in tobacco causes something called vasoconstriction (narrowing the blood vessels). Blood circulation - certainly an important thing! - has been shown to decrease by as much as 70% in your mouth during the smoking of a cigarette. Tobacco smoking, furthermore, also affects your body's immune responses (defense system).

Of course, they put PG in toothpaste, mouthwash and baby orajel (which also contains glycerine).
 

bassnut

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I'm more concerned with the effects of nicotine being that it's a vasoconstrictor.
I'm going through the process of getting tooth implants which in my case entails getting bone replacement due to loss after 40+ years of smoking (sez my dentist).
I talked to an oral surgeon I happen to know socially who told me that the two types of patients he hates working on are "friends" and "smokers".
Smokers don't heal as well or as quickly after oral surgery. Vasoconstriction is not conducive to healing. You need good blood flow to affected area.
I just hope the nicotine I'm vaping isn't hindering. I'll let you know. It's been almost 2 months since I smoked so that can be taken out of the equation.
 

kristin

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This is an interesting study discussing the use of propylene glycol for root canal treatment. (I believe as a dye carrier.)

Note they mention the antibacterial properties of PG.

Penetration of propylene glycol into dentine

And another study on PG's antibacterial properties and use in dentistry: http://www.sciencedirect.com/scienc...serid=10&md5=1af2753429dbbe55246fa793790c87f9

And this study seems to indicate that PG assists other chemicals in inhibiting acid production in saliva sediments. So, it basically augments the good stuff (like flouride) in your toothpaste and mouthwash. http://jdr.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/36/1/75.pdf
 
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BuzzKill

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I had to quit smoking to have my HEEL bone reconstructed after a bad accident ( totally broke the heel bone into 12 pieces !)


He would NOT do the surgery if I smoked , then I found e-cigs.


My periodontist , said my gum disease had mostly disappeared after starting e-cigs and really taking care of my teeth , they are BOTH believers now.
 

DonnaDo

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I too have periodontal disease and tooth loss after smoking for 40 years. Fortunately I have an excellent periodontist; 2 years, 4 bone grafting procedures and 7 implants later my mouth has been restored. Oh did I mention the $$$ involved? During this process my husband told me that I should wear a sign, "will work for teeth." He also says that I have at least a C Class Mercedes parked in my mouth.

My periodontist placed my implants but would not guarantee their integration into the bone because I smoked. During the implantation processes, I did cut down to 10 or less analogs/day and thankfully all implants integrated. After they integrated I went right back to smoking a pack a day.

Fast forward....I have been analog free for 8+ weeks and my regular dentist has seen my gums during a check up....wanted to know what I was doing differently because he says that they now appear as though I never had periodontal disease. He did such a happy dance :banana: when I told him that I had quit smoking via ecigs. :vapor: He wanted to run to the phone to call the periodontist. I made him promise not to tell until I go to see him next month. I want to surprise him as well.
 
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Wafflestomper

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Found this on healthyteeth.org:


Of course, they put PG in toothpaste, mouthwash and baby orajel (which also contains glycerine).

I wonder if these tests were done with straight nicotene or tobacco in general.

I still tend to think that even though nicotene has vasoconstrictive properties, it synergizes with many of those other chemcials...

Not trying to get nicotene off the hook, but rather that nicotene but one of the many culprits in analog badness. Our diets contain vasoconstrictors as well, like caffeine.

Kind of off the topic, but I am curious about the validity of some of these studies and what spin they take on.
 
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