Purpose: This study aimed to explore self-reported oral hygiene practices (OHPs) among Hungarian adult e-cigarette-only (former smokers who switched completely to e-cigarette use or vaping) and dual users (smokers who use e-cigarettes and combustible tobacco cigarettes concomitantly).
Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, web-based survey of 930 adult Hungarian e-cigarette users was conducted in 2015. Participants reported 10 OHPs, which were included in analyses as separate binary variables and as a composite variable of the 10 OHP items (inadequate/adequate). Chi-square test was used to explore whether separate OHPs differ by vaping status, and to examine the relationship between inadequate OHPs and past combustible or e-cigarette use characteristics. Associations between separate OHPs and vaping status, and between inadequate OHPs and vaping status were tested by multiple logistic regression analyses.
Results: More dual users reported toothbrushing twice a day or more than e-cigarette-only users (73.6% vs 65.3%, respectively, p = 0.041) and using sugar-free chewing gum (57.7% vs 45.8%, respectively, p = 0.006) while adequacy of other OHPs did not differ statistically significantly by vaping status. Inadequate OHPs were more typical in the sample (63.7%) than adequate OHPs, however, inadequate OHPs did not differ statistically significantly among dual users and e-cigarette-only users (62.0% vs 64.0%, respectively, OR = 1.20, p = 0.400), controlling for age, gender, education, past combustible and current e-cigarette use characteristics.
Conclusion: In this study, both e-cigarette-only and dual users demonstrated similarly high prevalence of inadequate OHPs. Therefore dentists should educate them about effective OHPs and the role of tobacco and e-cigarette use in the development of oral diseases.
Keywords: e-cigarettes; oral hygiene; tobacco smoking; vaping.