You don’t need us to tell you how bad smokers’ breath can be from time to time. Though the heaviest smokers are the ones most affected, even infrequent and social smokers fall victim to “smoker’s breath”. But what is it about smoking that makes it smell so rank? And how does it compare to vaping? We have looked into just that, and here’s what we found…
Chemicals from tobacco
Probably the most obvious cause of bad breath for smokers is the tobacco itself. Even for some time after you have exhaled the tobacco smoke, your lungs still retain a small amount, which affects your breathing as well as the smell of your breath.
Even after your cig has been long extinguished chemicals remain in your mouth. In Korea, a study of smokers found that there was a significant link between “nicotinic pigmentation” - the dark patches you often find in smokers’ mouths - and the problems most associated with halitosis.
This isn’t a problem you’d see in a vaper’s mouth. As there are no tobacco products in an e-cigarette, your mouth wouldn’t be exposed to the same harmful chemicals that cause bad breath.
Smoking messes up your mouth’s moisture
A long term issue with smoking is the effect it has on the level of bacteria in your mouth. The combination of tar and nicotine in cigarettes interfere with the normal function of gum tissue cells, making them more susceptible to infection and the spread of even more bacteria.
These bacteria produce something called VSCs (volatile sulphur compounds). These are what really set off the bad-breath production - they produce that classic “rotten egg” sulphuric smell, which no one wants to have coming out of their mouth.
Usually, the pH of human saliva is potent enough to counteract the smelly bacteria in your mouth - until you start smoking tobacco that is. Smoking has been found to dry out your mouth, which allows it to become a breeding ground for bacteria and horrible breath.
Vaping is far less unhealthy than smoking in so many ways, and this is no different. Though vaping can dry your mouth out a little, it doesn’t foster nearly the level of bacteria growth that tobacco smoking does. As long as you’re remembering to stay hydrated alongside your vaping you shouldn’t have to worry about your breath scaring anyone away!
Cigarettes promote terrible oral hygiene
A consistently dry mouth, thanks in no small part to cigarettes, is a hotbed for the build up of plaque, tartar, and all the other problems your dentist warned you about. These hygiene issues, in tandem with a solid smoking habit, have a dreadful affect on your breath, and can require urgent dental care that could really put a dent in your wallet as well as your confidence.
For smokers that are having trouble dealing with the effect it has on their bad breath, many dental hygiene experts recommend making the switch to an e-cigarette. Beyond just preventing the buildup of bacteria that tobacco produces, vaping with a sweet-smelling, fruity e-liquid ensures that anyone who finds themselves downwind of your breath will be giving you the thumbs up, not throwing up.
The results are in. Smoking not only causes bad breath, but actively fosters an environment of bad oral hygiene for the nasty breath to flourish in. If you want a healthier mouth and better smelling breath, try making the switch to an e-cigarette today. Check out our store locator to find the nearest shop you can get your hands on Riot's insane range of vape flavours, and take a peek at our blog if you need any more convincing that vaping is the way forward for you.
