What should dentists know and advise about electronic cigarettes to their patients

Abstract

Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that convert nicotine into a vapor which can be inhaled. The vapors from e-cigarettes are complex mixtures of chemicals, not pure nicotine. It is unknown whether inhalation of the complex mixture of chemicals found in e-cigarette vapors is safe. Worldwide use of electronic cigarettes has increased significantly over recent years but varies markedly between countries. The legal status of e-cigarettes is pending in most of the countries which are the need of the hour. The efficacy and effectiveness of e-cigarettes in smoking cessation or reducing the tobacco use are not established. The following review discusses the current data regarding e-cigarette, prevalence of e-cigarette, legislation of e-cigarettes, issues concerned with the use of the e-cigarette, and finally, the dentists being the health caregivers should be prepared to answer the patients′ questions about the advisability of using e-cigarettes as a smoking cessation device.

Keywords

• electronic cigarette
• nicotine
• vapor