Vaping

The prevalence of vaping is rising in Canada, especially among youth and young adults. Although vaping is growing in popularity with the widespread availability of products on the market, vaping is not harmless!

What is vaping?

Vaping is the act of inhaling and exhaling vapour through the mouth. These vapours are produced by vaping devices such as electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes), modified devices (MODs), or vapes. In general, vaping devices such as e-cigarettes consist of a mouthpiece, a cartridge containing the “e-liquid” or “e-juice,” a heating element, and a battery. The e-liquid, made up of propylene glycol, glycerin, flavours, and nicotine (usually), vaporizes upon heating and then condenses into an aerosol, which is then inhaled orally by the user.

Vaping in Canada

According to the 2022 Canadian Tobacco and Nicotine Survey (CTNS) the prevalence of vaping continues to rise. In 2022, 18.2% of Canadians aged 15 and older (approximately 5.8 million people) had ever vaped. This number was 15.4% in the 2017 survey. Vaping is more prevalent among younger age groups, with 30% of youth aged 15 to 19 years and 47.5 % of young adults aged 20 to 24 years having tried vaping.

Among Canadians aged 15 years and older who used a vape in the past 30 days, the most common reasons for vaping were to reduce stress (21.7%), for smoking cessation (18.8%), and because they are curious (17.5%). Among youth aged 15 to 19 years who used a vape in the past 30 days, 30% identified stress as the reason.

Is vaping safe?

Although research is ongoing, the growing popularity and widespread availability of vaping devices pose some concerns. Vaping can increase the risk for:

• oral health issues, including dry mouth, saliva thickening, dental cavities, bad breath, and gum disease
• nicotine addiction that can raise your heart rate and blood pressure and may make it harder for youth to manage their emotions and focus
• burn injuries from exploding battery-powered vaping devices
• lung and heart diseases caused by inhaling toxic chemicals in vaping liquid
• cancer due to the chemicals in the vape liquid and the vaping device

How to protect your oral health?

• Limit the amount of vaping you do.
• Stay hydrated to avoid dry mouth.
• Chew sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva to protect against dry mouth and bad breath.
• Brush and clean between your teeth at least twice daily.
• Consider quitting—vaping is addictive and harmful. Your dental hygienist can help!
• Visit your dental hygienist regularly.

While e-cigarettes and other vaping devices are marketed as a less harmful alternative to regular cigarettes, they have not been approved as a smoking cessation aid in Canada. With vaping on the rise, knowing the risks is important for making informed choices. Those interested in quitting tobacco should speak to their health care providers, including dental hygienists, about safe and effective treatments and behavioural supports.