The impact of vaping behavior on functional changes within the subgingival microbiome

Area of Science:

• Oral Health Research
• Microbiome Science
• Environmental Health

Background:

• Traditional smoking is a known risk factor for periodontal disease.
• The oral health effects of Electronic Nicotine Delivery Systems (ENDS) use, including vaping, are not fully understood.
• Understanding the impact of vaping behaviors on the oral microbiome is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how vaping and specific vaping behaviors affect the subgingival plaque microbiome.
• To identify metabolic pathways influenced by vaping that may contribute to oral disease.
• To correlate vaping emissions with oral microbiome and metabolic changes.

Main Methods:

• Enrolled 70 healthy young adults (48 ENDS users, 22 controls).
• Categorized ENDS users by puffing behavior (low, medium, high flow) using topography devices.
• Collected saliva and subgingival plaque samples; analyzed ENDS emissions (VOCs) and salivary metabolomics.

Main Results:

• Vaping altered the oral microbiome, reducing beneficial bacteria and increasing disease-associated bacteria.
• Higher puff volumes correlated with reduced microbial diversity and increased inflammation-related bacteria.
• Vaping enriched pathways for lipid metabolism, inflammation, and xenobiotic degradation, with metabolic disruptions observed.

Conclusions:

• ENDS use, particularly high-intensity vaping, disrupts oral microbial and metabolic homeostasis.
• Both biological and chemical pathways associated with vaping may increase periodontal disease risk.
• Findings highlight potential public health concerns related to vaping and oral health.