Influence of Electronic Cigarettes on Antioxidant Capacity and Nucleotide Metabolites in Saliva

E-Cigarette Effects on Oral Health: A Molecular Perspective

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) have emerged as a potential alternative to traditional smoking and may aid in tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation. E-cigarette use has notably increased, especially among young non-tobacco users, raising concerns due to the unknown long-term health effects. The oral cavity is the first and one of the most crucial anatomical sites for the deposition of e-cigarette aerosols. E-cigarette aerosols contain nicotine, flavors, volatile organic compounds, heavy metals, carcinogens, and other hazardous substances. These aerosols impact the oral cavity, disrupting host-microbial interactions and triggering gingivitis and systemic diseases. Furthermore, oral inflammation and periodontitis can be caused by proinflammatory cytokines induced by e-cigarette aerosols. The toxic components of e-cigarette aerosols increase the cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, reduce antioxidant capacity, and damage DNA, disrupting repair processes, which may further contribute to harmful effects on oral epithelial, leading to inflammatory and pre-malignant oral epithelial lesions. In this review, we analyze the toxicological properties of compounds in e-cigarette aerosols, exploring their cytotoxic, genotoxic, and inflammatory effects on oral health and delving into the underlying molecular mechanisms. Further research is essential to understand the impact of e-cigarettes on oral health and make informed regulatory decisions based on reliable scientific evidence.

The Impact of E-Cigarettes on Oral Health-A Narrative Review

Background/Objectives: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are commonly used by former smokers as an alternative product to conventional cigarettes and also by young adults and adolescents to deliver nicotine. E-cigarettes are thought to be a less harmful and more socially acceptable alternative to tobacco smoking; however, their long-term effects on health, including oral health, are currently unknown. Methods: A literature search for relevant papers indexed in the literature from 2016 to 2023 was conducted using the PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases. In our paper, we included clinical trials and both in vivo and in vitro research concerning the impact of e-cigarettes on oral health. Results: E-cigarettes impact the oral cavity, which is directly exposed to inhaled chemicals present in e-cigarette aerosols. The use of e-cigarettes has been linked to teeth discoloration and dental caries, promoting the development of periodontal diseases and causing oral mucosa lesions, including oral cancer. E-cigarette aerosols might also negatively affect the oral microbiome by suppressing the growth of commensal bacteria and increasing the population of bacteria responsible for developing numerous oral disorders. E-cigarettes also impact saliva composition and its properties, including reducing saliva's antibacterial and antioxidant properties, which may subsequently lead to the promotion of oral diseases. Conclusions: The outcomes suggest that e-cigarette usage may cause the development of oral diseases, however further longitudinal studies of a larger and homogenous group of e-cigarette users are required.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Electronic Cigarettes

Despite nearly nine thousand publications on e-cigarettes (EC) in the PubMed database, there is still no consensus in the scientific community and among decision makers regarding the risks and benefits of using these products [...].

IMPACT OF E-CIGARETTES ON THE ORAL HEALTH - LITERATURE REVIEW

E-cigarettes are electronic devices used to inhale aerosols generated from the vaporization of flavored liquids. Nowadays, the use of e-cigarettes has become one of the most popular alternatives to traditional smoking. The wide variety of devices and liquids makes it challenging to assess the health effects of using e-cigarettes. During the vaporization of e-liquids, toxins, carcinogens, and various other chemicals can be released and inhaled by the user. Limited data exist regarding the potential health impact of exposure to e-vapors, primarily derived from animal studies and in vitro research. The oral tissues are the first site of direct interaction with the components of the inhaled vapor. While e-cigarettes are commonly portrayed as safer alternatives to tobacco cigarettes, little is known about the short- or long-term health effects of their use. The aim of this review is to briefly present the available data regarding the impact of chemical ingredients and toxins present in e-cigarette vapors on oral cavity cells.

Rosiglitazone Ameliorates Cardiac and Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction by Correction of Energetics in Huntington’s Disease

Huntington’s disease (HD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease that is accompanied by skeletal muscle atrophy and cardiomyopathy. Tissues affected by HD (central nervous system [CNS], skeletal muscle, and heart) are known to suffer from deteriorated cellular energy metabolism that manifests already at presymptomatic stages. This work aimed to test the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ agonist—rosiglitazone on grip strength and heart function in an experimental HD model—on R6/1 mice and to address the mechanisms. We noted that rosiglitazone treatment lead to improvement of R6/1 mice grip strength and cardiac mechanical function. It was accompanied by an enhancement of the total adenine nucleotides pool, increased glucose oxidation, changes in mitochondrial number (indicated as increased citric synthase activity), and reduction in mitochondrial complex I activity. These metabolic changes were supported by increased total antioxidant status in HD mice injected with rosiglitazone. Correction of energy deficits with rosiglitazone was further indicated by decreased accumulation of nucleotide catabolites in HD mice serum. Thus, rosiglitazone treatment may not only delay neurodegeneration but also may ameliorate cardio- and myopathy linked to HD by improvement of cellular energetics.

The impact of tobacco smoking and electronic cigarette vaping on salivary biomarkers. A comparative study

Objectives

This study aimed to investigate the effect of electronic cigarette vaping and cigarette smoking on the levels of interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor‑β salivary biomarkers compared to non-smokers.

Methods

One hundred and fifty people participated in this study; There were 50 participants who smoked traditional cigarettes, 50 who used electronic cigarettes, and 50 healthy people who had never smoked cigarettes (control group). Furthermore, 5 ml of unstimulated whole saliva was sampled and clarified by centrifugation and frozen until analysis. Interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor‑β concentrations were assessed in saliva samples using ELISA. The duplicate readings average was utilized to interpret the data.

Results

We found that cigarette smokers had significantly higher levels of interleukin-1β and transforming growth factor‑β than non-smokers and electronic cigarette users (p < 0.05). The difference between control participants and electronic cigarette users, as well as that between control participants and traditional cigarette smokers, was statistically significant (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Electronic cigarette users have higher levels of inflammatory and cancer risk biomarker than non-smokers, suggesting that electronic cigarettes can pose a risk of developing systemic diseases but less than conventional cigarettes. In conclusion, our study could be regarded as new evidence supporting the hazardous effects of e-cigs using a cost-effective, non-invasive method.

Influence of Electronic Cigarettes on Selected Physicochemical Properties of Saliva

(1) Background: Electronic cigarettes are gaining more popularity not only among cigarettes smokers. Firstly, e-cigarettes were perceived as less harmful than traditional cigarettes, however, nowadays, they are arousing more controversy. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of e-cigarette usage on selected physicochemical properties of saliva. (2) Methods: The study population included 128 patients: 40 patients using e-cigarettes, 39 patients smoking traditional cigarettes, and 49 non-smoking patients (non-smokers). Laboratory tests involved verification of saliva values of pH and concentration of total protein, calcium, and phosphates. (3) Results: Among e-cigarette users, the value of pH was lower and the concentration of total protein, calcium, and phosphates was higher than in the group of non-smokers. Statistically significant differences were observed in relation to calcium. Among traditional cigarette smokers, the value of pH was lower, concentrations of total protein and phosphates were higher than in the group of non-smokers. Statistically significant differences were observed in relation to total protein. (4) Conclusions: Saliva of e-cigarette users presents changes in physicochemical composition in comparison to traditional cigarette smokers and non-smokers, however, statistically significant differences were observed only in calcium concentration. Further longitudinal studies on a larger study group should be conducted to assess the effect of observed changes in oral health.

The Effects of e-Cigarette Aerosol on Oral Cavity Cells and Tissues: A Narrative Review

A wealth of research has comprehensively documented the harmful effects of traditional cigarette smoking and nicotine on human health. The lower rate of exposure to harmful chemicals and toxic substances offered by alternative electronic smoking devices (e-cigarettes, vaping, etc.) has made these methods of smoking popular, especially among adolescents and young adults, and they are regarded frequently as safer than regular cigarettes. During vaporization of these so-called e-liquids, toxins, carcinogens and various other chemical substances may be released and inhaled by the user. Data on the potential human health effect attendant on exposure to e-vapor are based mainly on animal and in vitro studies. The oral tissues are the first locus of direct interaction with the components of the inhaled vapor. However, the short-term as well as long-term effects of the exposure are not known. The aim of the review is to briefly present data on the effects of the chemical components and toxins of e-cigarette vapor on oral cavity cells and tissues of oral health.