- While the rates of smoking has dropped significantly (CDC), the rise of E-cigarettes, including teen vaping, has drastically increased.
- While the CDC found no significant increase in combustible tobacco products by teens, e-cigarette usage increased 77.8% from 2017-2018.
- In Massachusetts alone, almost half of high school students reported having vaped at least once (2016 Massachusetts Youth Risk Behavior Survey).
- Such incidents led to the US Surgeon General to report this as an epidemic.
- In summary- any type of smoking or e-cigarette use is unsafe to the oral health and overall health of our patients.
- How does this apply to advocacy?
- from patient advocacy, we should include e-cigarette and vaping as contraindications that impact their oral health, which include high risk of caries.
For more detailed information, please see the attached document from the Massachusetts Dental Society- Word of Mouth article.
