CDA Essentials 2019 • Volume 6 • Issue 3

24 | 2019 | Issue 3 N ews and E vents In the coming years, dental health professionals will play an important role in educating patients about the oral health and other risks of vaping. ➜ • Vaping can create nicotine dependence in persons not previously using nicotine. • Vaping increases exposure to harmful chemicals like the main liquids in vaping products: glycerine and propylene glycol. • Using vaping products with higher power and temperature settings can produce more chemicals. • While there have been no reported cases, there is concern that inhaling heated diacetyl, a flavouring chemical used in vaping products, could cause popcorn lung. Addressing Health Concerns In 2017, Health Canada and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research established the Scientific Advisory Board on Vaping Products. The 10-member board includes scientists, researchers, academics, and health professionals, with expertise in a range of disciplines, including clinical medicine, population and public health, and basic and biomedical science who will: 1. Review the scientific literature on the potential health benefits and harms of vaping products. 2. Provide recommendations on the federal legislative framework for vaping products. a What Exactly is Being Vaped? Most vaping substances are liquids, but wax and herbs are also available. Vaping liquids contain nicotine and/or flavouring compounds all dissolved into one mixture, typically propylene glycol and/or glycerol. Nicotine content can be very low but can also exceed nicotine levels in a typical tobacco cigarette. When heated up, vaping liquids produce an aerosol that may contain dozens of chemicals. The ingredients typically found in vaping liquids and the resulting aerosol are: • Glycerol • Propylene glycol • Nicotine • Flavours (menthol, popcorn, cinnamon, vanilla, fruity flavours etc.) The health risks from exposure to the chemicals found in vaping liquids depends on many factors: • Compounds consisting of chemicals and blends of chemicals are used to simulate various flavours. • Using vaping devices with higher power and temperature settings can result in more chemicals being released into the vapour. • Chemicals used to create discernable flavours in vaping products are the same chemicals used by food manufacturers to flavour foods and may not be safe to breathe into the lungs. Health Considerations and Effects The long-term health effects of vaping are currently unknown but continue to be assessed and researched. However, at this time, we do know that: • The amount of chemicals and contaminants in vapour is normally at much lower levels than in cigarette smoke. • When vaping oils and liquids are heated, the reaction can create formaldehyde gas and toxic metals, like lead and nickel, that can be carried within the vapour. For more information on this topic, visit CDA Oasis wp.me/p2Lv6A-6xg