Associations Between Oral Health Related Outcomes and Electronic Cigarette Use in Young People: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND: Vaping is prevalent among youth, but its effects on oral health remain poorly understood. Exposure to harmful chemicals and nicotine during this critical developmental period raises concerns for long-term oral health impacts. AIM: This scoping review synthesizes available evidence regarding oral health related outcomes of e-cigarette use in youth. DESIGN: An electronic search was conducted in MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL, Embase, and Web of Science for studies examining associations between vaping and oral health in people aged 12 to 24 years. Studies were limited to English, with no date restrictions. Title and abstracts were screened, with full-text review by two independent reviewers. Data extraction was completed by one reviewer and reviewed by all team members. Results were reported according to PRIMSA-ScR. RESULTS: Seven studies met inclusion criteria. Associations between vaping and dental caries, xerostomia, gingival conditions, oral lesions, and fractured teeth were observed. Alterations to salivary and microflora composition were also reported. Despite these risks, knowledge of the adverse effects of vaping among youth was low. CONCLUSION: Although vaping is associated with various negative oral health-related outcomes in young people, the evidence is limited. Longitudinal studies with objective clinical measures are required to further clarify harm in this population.