IADR Abstract Archives
Oral Hygiene Practices of E-cigarette Users
Objectives: Oral hygiene practices (OHPs) of electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) users are unknown despite the increasing use of e-cigarettes for harm reduction. This study aims to explore OHPs among Hungarian adult former and current smokers who use e-cigarettes, and related oral cavity adverse health effects.
Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among Hungarian vapers (n=1455; 86.7% male; mean age 37.9 [SD=11.29] years) in 2015. Participants self-reported their OHPs and a composite variable of its 10 items (e.g., tooth brushing frequency, type of toothbrush, toothpaste, use of oral care devices, dental visits) were collapsed into a binary variable. Chi-square tests were used to explore whether OHPs differ by conventional and e-cigarette use habits and to assess the occurrence of oral cavity adverse effects by OHPs and vaping status. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to test associations between each OHPs and vaping status, controlled for age and gender.
Results: Compared to dual users, e-cigarette-only users (80.8%) were more likely to be male, started using e-cigarettes more than two years prior to the survey, and smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day before initiating e-cigarettes.More e-cigarette-only users than dual users reported using fluoride toothpaste (64.1% vs. 55.6%, respectively, OR=1.46, CI95%: 1.11–1.93) and mouthwash (49.2% vs. 41.8%, respectively, OR=1.32, CI95%: 1.02–1.73) while other OHPs did not differ significantly by e-cigarette use status. Compared to e-cigarette-only users, inadequate OHPs were more common among dual users who smoked ≥20 cigarettes/day before started using e-cigarettes (64.4% vs. 75.6%, respectively, p=.014) and reported ≥20 times e-cigarette use/day (65.1% vs. 74.6%, respectively, p=.073). E-cigarette-only users with inadequate OHPs reported mouth or tongue sores/inflammation (4.9%) more likely than those with adequate OHPs (2.3%, p=.041).
Conclusions: Although OHPs were similar among e-cigarette-only and dual users, brief interventions to improve their OHPs could provide additional oral health benefits and less adverse experience of vaping.
Methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey was conducted among Hungarian vapers (n=1455; 86.7% male; mean age 37.9 [SD=11.29] years) in 2015. Participants self-reported their OHPs and a composite variable of its 10 items (e.g., tooth brushing frequency, type of toothbrush, toothpaste, use of oral care devices, dental visits) were collapsed into a binary variable. Chi-square tests were used to explore whether OHPs differ by conventional and e-cigarette use habits and to assess the occurrence of oral cavity adverse effects by OHPs and vaping status. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to test associations between each OHPs and vaping status, controlled for age and gender.
Results: Compared to dual users, e-cigarette-only users (80.8%) were more likely to be male, started using e-cigarettes more than two years prior to the survey, and smoked ≥20 cigarettes per day before initiating e-cigarettes.More e-cigarette-only users than dual users reported using fluoride toothpaste (64.1% vs. 55.6%, respectively, OR=1.46, CI95%: 1.11–1.93) and mouthwash (49.2% vs. 41.8%, respectively, OR=1.32, CI95%: 1.02–1.73) while other OHPs did not differ significantly by e-cigarette use status. Compared to e-cigarette-only users, inadequate OHPs were more common among dual users who smoked ≥20 cigarettes/day before started using e-cigarettes (64.4% vs. 75.6%, respectively, p=.014) and reported ≥20 times e-cigarette use/day (65.1% vs. 74.6%, respectively, p=.073). E-cigarette-only users with inadequate OHPs reported mouth or tongue sores/inflammation (4.9%) more likely than those with adequate OHPs (2.3%, p=.041).
Conclusions: Although OHPs were similar among e-cigarette-only and dual users, brief interventions to improve their OHPs could provide additional oral health benefits and less adverse experience of vaping.