A top dentist has warned of a little-known tongue condition that can be triggered by vaping.
Dr Stewart Beggs, a restorative dentist based in Chelsea, London took to social media platform TikTok to warn his followers of the phenomenon that he’s noticing in patients, which he refers to as ‘vape tongue’.
He explained the side-effect can cause users to lose their taste due to the dramatic reduction in saliva production that’s caused by the devices.
Although vapes do not contain tar or any other damaging chemicals found in cigarettes, they do still contain nicotine and are thought to cause health issues of their own.
Risks include mouth irritation, headaches, coughs and nausea, as well as more serious problems like permanent lung damage including collapsed lungs.
Multiple cases of fainting or vomiting ominous green liquid have been linked to heavy vaping.
There is disturbing evidence that children as young as four are being hospitalised due to damage caused by vapes.
Speaking on TikTok, Dr Beggs said that vape tongue is ‘on the rise’ due to the increasing popularity of disposable, flavoured devices.
‘People end up absolutely caning these vapes and it causes such a massive increase in nicotine and a really, really dry mouth that you lose your sense of taste completely,’ he said in a TikTok clip that’s been viewed 21,000 times.
He added that this side effect can be fully reversed by quitting the habit.
‘Don’t worry, it does come back when you start to cut down on the vaping,’ he said.
‘It [vaper’s tongue] can be linked to dehydration, so start to drink some more water and make sure you’re fully hydrated.
‘Clean your tongue, brush your teeth, floss, use a tongue scraper — see if that helps as well.
‘You don’t want to get vaper’s tongue — because you want to taste your food.’
Social media users have commented on the post telling of the dramatic loss of taste they’ve noticed after using ‘the same vape flavour all the time’.
Some experts suggest that the loss of taste is also caused by ingredients in the devices that coat the tongue when inhaled, blocking off flavour signals between the brain and the taste buds.
The warning comes as the Government is set to ban single use vapes from June this year in a bid to cut back on the number of young people using them.
NHS figures showed a quarter of 11 to 15-year-olds in England have tried vaping, with almost one in 10 using e-cigarettes regularly.
The NHS has historically recommended vapes to help people quit smoking, which is one of the biggest causes of illness and death in the UK.
Around 76,000 people die every year from smoking-related health problems, including heart disease, strokes and cancer.
E-cigarettes are far less harmful and can help people quit smoking for good, according to the health service.
