THE EFFECT OF VAPE AND HOOKAH SMOKING ON ORAL HEALTH STATUS AMONG MALE DENTAL STUDENTS AT AL-HIKMA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21272/eumj.2026;14(1);138-144Keywords:
dental caries; periodontal health; electronic cigarettes; vape; hookahAbstract
Background: Electronic cigarettes (especially vapes) and hookahs are increasingly widely used. The oral environment that is exposed to vape and hookah aerosol increases the risk of mouth, leading to tooth decay, gum disease, and bad oral breath. Hookah is known to cause several types of diseases, such as cardiovascular events, chronic pulmonary diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, respiratory diseases, cancer, and effects on the oral health of smokers.
Objectives: The study aimed to estimate the risk and impact of hookah and vape smoking on male oral health, especially periodontal health and dental caries among students of the dentistry department at Al-Hikmah University College.
Materials and Methods: 25 male dental students who are vape and hookah users were selected randomly, with an age range of 18- 25. The students' dental caries were recorded according to the decay-missing-filled (DMF) index. Periodontal health status was assessed by measuring the probing pocket depth.
Results: The results showed that Decayed-Missing-Filled Surfaces and Decayed-Missing-Filled Teeth indices are higher among the vape + hookah group, followed by hookah, while the lowest is in the Vape group. However, these results didn’t reach a statistically significant difference between the three groups. Normal pocket depth was recorded among the sample.
Conclusion: It is mandatory to recommend education of the population on the risks of vaping and hookah smoking to avoid smoking in general, since they have adverse effects on the oral cavity and subsequently on general health, as they contain a number of potentially toxic substances.
Downloads
References
Scherer G, Pluym N, Scherer M. Oral health risks in adults who use electronic nicotine delivery systems and oral nicotine pouches: a critical review of the literature and qualitative synthesis of the available evidence. Harm Reduction Journal. 2024;21(1):229. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12954-024-01147-y
Tattar R, Jackson J, Holliday R. The impact of e-cigarette use on periodontal health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Evidence-Based Dentistry. 2025:1-7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41432-025-01119-6
Gallione C, Bassi E, Cattaneo A, Busca E, Basso I, Dal Molin A. Oral Health Care: A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guidelines. Nursing & Health Sciences. 2025;27(1):e70027. https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.70027
Camoni N, Conti G, Esteves-Oliveira M, Carvalho TS, Roccuzzo A, Cagetti MG, et al. Electronic Cigarettes, Heated Tobacco Products, and Oral Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Applied Sciences. 2023;13(17):9654. https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179654
Gajendra S, McIntosh S, Ghosh S. Effects of tobacco product use on oral health and the role of oral healthcare providers in cessation: A narrative review. Tob Induc Dis. 2023;21:12. Epub 20230125. https://doi.org/10.18332/tid/157203
Bouguezzi A, Chokri A, Selmi J, Hentati H. The Effect of Smoking and Vaping on Oral Health: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Pharmaceutical Research and Reports. 2025; SRC/JPRSR-197. https://doi.org/10.47363/JPRSR/2025(6)173.
Rahman M, Hann N, Wilson A, Worrall-Carter L. Electronic cigarettes: patterns of use, health effects, use in smoking cessation and regulatory issues. Tob Induc Dis. 2014;12:21. https://doi.org/10.1186/1617-9625-12-21
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Public Health Consequences of E-Cigarettes. Washington, DC: NASEM; 2018. https://doi.org/10.17226/24952
US Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). E-Cigarette Use Among Youth and Young Adults: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: USDHHS; 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK538680/
Adkison SE, O’Connor RJ, Bansal-Travers M, Hyland A, Borland R, Yong HH, et al. Electronic nicotine delivery systems 2013: international tobacco control four-country survey. Am J Prev Med. 2013;44:207-215. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2012.10.018.
Tabnjh AK, Alizadehgharib S, Campus G, Lingström P. The effects of electronic smoking on dental caries and proinflammatory markers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Oral Health. 2025;6:1569806. doi: https://doi.org/10.3389/froh.2025.1569806
Yong HH, Borland R, Balmford J, McNeill A, Hitchman S, Driezen P, et al. Trends in e-cigarette awareness, trial, and use under the different regulatory environments of Australia and the United Kingdom. Nicotine Tob Res. 2014;17:1203-1211. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu231
Jablonski-Momeni A, Korbmacher-Steiner H, Temming A, Wernke P, Heinzel-Gutenbrunner M, Haak R, et al. Knowledge of undergraduate dental students regarding management of caries lesions. BDJ Open. 2022;8(1):9. Epub 20220401. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41405-022-00101-z
Hadzic S, Gojkov-Vukelic M, Pasic E, Jahic IM, Muharemovic A, Huseinbegovic-Cengic A. The Effects of Smoking "The Hookah" on the Oral Health of Fourth, Fifth and Sixth-year Students of the Faculty of Dentistry in Sarajevo. Mater Sociomed. 2020;32(3):212-7. https://doi.org/10.5455/msm.2020.32.212-217
Kabuya KE, Mwelwa MK. The Impact of Sharing a Shisha (Hookah) Mouthpiece during Smoking: Case of Tuberculosis and Hepatitis in South Saharan Africa. Journal of Tuberculosis Research. 2024;12(1):34-55. Doi: https://doi.org/10.4236/jtr.2024.121003
Carazna FA. Clinical periodontology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: WB Saunders; 2012. https://umsdental.com/images/products/192135download-pdf-ebooks.org-1533641033Ek8A7.pdf
Omer BR. Correlation between Salivary Visfatin and Creatine Kinase Levels with Periodontal Health Status of Patients with Coronary Atherosclerosis and Chronic Periodontitis. Master Thesis. College of Dentistry, University of Baghdad; 2015. https://doi.org/10.12816/0031118
Manji F, Fejerskov O, Baelum V. Pattern of dental caries in an adult rural population. Caries Res. 1989;23(1):55-62. https://doi.org/10.1159/000261155
Pérez A, Kuk AE, Bluestein MA, Chen B, Sterling KL, Harrell MB. Age of initiation of hookah use among young adults: Findings from the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study, 2013-2017. PLoS One. 2021;16(10):0258422. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0258422
Ghazali AF, Ismail AF, Daud A. Caries experience among cigarette and e-cigarette users: a 6-month prospective study. J Pharm Sci & Res. 2019;11(7):2566-2569. http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/0976-5506.2019.01503.1
Li X, Loukas A, Perry CL. Very light smoking and alternative tobacco use among college students. Tob Prev Cessation. 2018;81:22-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2018.01.038
Grana R, Benowitz N, Glantz SA. E-cigarettes: a scientific review. Circulation. 2014;129:1972-1986. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.007667
Algabbani AM, Althumiri NA, Almarshad AM, BinDhim NF. National prevalence, perceptions, and determinants of tobacco consumption in Saudi Arabia. Food Drug Regul Sci J. 2019;2(2):1. http://dx.doi.org/10.32868/rsj.v2i2.33
Awan KH. Experimentation and correlates of electronic nicotine delivery system (electronic cigarettes) among university students: a cross-sectional study. Saudi Dent J. 2016;28:91-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sdentj.2015.12.002
Althobaiti NK, Mahfouz MEM. Prevalence of electronic cigarette use in Saudi Arabia. Cureus. 2022;14(6):e25731. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.25731
Aqeeli AA, Makeen AM, Al Bahhawi T, Ryani MA, Bahri AA, Alqassim AY, et al. Awareness, knowledge and perception of electronic cigarettes among undergraduate students in Jazan Region, Saudi Arabia. Health Soc Care Community. 2022;30:706-713. https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13184
Ghazali AF, Ismail AF, Daud A. Caries experience among cigarette and e-cigarette users: a 6-month prospective study. J Pharm Sci & Res. 2019;11(7):2566-2569. http://dx.doi.org/10.5958/0976-5506.2019.01503.1
Irusa KF, Finkelman M, Magnuson B, Donovan T, Eisen SE. A comparison of the caries risk between patients who use vapes or electronic cigarettes and those who do not: A cross-sectional study. J Am Dent Assoc. 2022;153(12):1179-1183. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.adaj.2022.09.013
Javed F, Abduljabbar T, Vohra F, Malmstrom H, Rahman I, Romanos GE. Comparison of periodontal parameters and self-perceived oral symptoms among cigarette smokers, individuals vaping electronic cigarettes, and never-smokers. J Periodontol. 2017;88(10):1059-1065. https://doi.org/10.1902/jop.2017.170197
Tatullo M, Gentile S, Paduano F, Santacroce L, Marrelli M. Crosstalk between oral and general health status in e-smokers. Medicine (Baltimore). 2016;95(49):e5589. https://doi.org/10.1097/MD.0000000000005589
Ye D, Gajendra S, Lawyer G, Jadeja N, Pishey D, Pathagunti S, et al. Inflammatory biomarkers and growth factors in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid of e-cigarette users, cigarette smokers, and dual smokers: A pilot study. J Periodontol. 2020; 91(10), 1274–1283. https://doi.org/10.1002/JPER.19-0457
Aghdam FB, Alizadeh N, Nadrian H, et al. Effects of a multi-level intervention on hookah smoking frequency and duration among Iranian adolescents and adults: an application of socio-ecological model. BMC Public Health. 2021;21:184. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10219-8
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nafi Aziz Owaid, Rula Nabeel , Intisar Kadhum Farhood, Teya Mohammed Sattar, Alhasan Yaseen Saad, Safaa Ehssan Atta, Lujain A. Ghannawi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
ISSN: 
