Mint flavors definitely feel cleaner to me too. I remember when I first got braces, my orthodontist gave me the whole lecture about sugary stuff and bacteria buildup. Of course, being anxious about messing up my teeth, I avoided anything remotely sweet or sticky. But then one day I tried a fruity vape flavor thinking it was harmless—big mistake. My mouth felt like I'd just downed a bag of gummy bears... lesson learned.
"guess we're all dental snowflakes in our own special way"
Haha, couldn't have said it better myself.
I get what you're saying about mint flavors feeling cleaner, but honestly, I think that's mostly psychological. Mint has always been associated with toothpaste and mouthwash, so our brains automatically link it to cleanliness. But flavor aside, vaping itself can still cause issues for your teeth and gums, regardless of whether it's fruity or minty.
I had braces for almost three years, and my orthodontist was pretty clear about vaping being problematic—not just because of sugary flavors, but because vaping dries out your mouth. Saliva is actually super important for protecting your teeth from bacteria and decay. When your mouth gets dry, bacteria thrive, and that can lead to cavities or gum inflammation over time. So even if mint feels "cleaner," you're still potentially setting yourself up for dental trouble down the road.
Also, a lot of vape juices contain acids that can erode enamel. Mint flavors aren't exempt from this either. I remember reading somewhere that certain minty or menthol flavors can even be harsher on your gums because they mask irritation, making you less aware of potential damage until it's already done.
Not trying to rain on anyone's parade here—just sharing what I've learned from my own orthodontic journey. I totally get the appeal of vaping flavors (been there myself), but it's probably best not to assume mint is safer just because it feels fresher.
Totally agree with you about the saliva thing—it's way more important than most people realize. Ever noticed how your mouth feels kinda gross after vaping for a while? That's because it's drying out, and bacteria love that kind of environment. I actually asked my dentist once if sugar-free vape juices were better, and she basically said dryness and acidity are still big issues, even without sugar.
Also, good point on mint masking irritation. I used to vape menthol flavors thinking they were gentler, but then I noticed my gums felt weirdly sensitive afterward. Turns out menthol can numb your mouth a bit, so you don't even realize when something's off until later. Honestly, switching flavors didn't really help me—eventually, I just cut back altogether.
Did your orthodontist mention anything about staining or discoloration from vaping? Mine brought it up once, saying vaping can cause subtle staining over time that whitening treatments might struggle with. Curious if anyone else has heard something similar...
"Did your orthodontist mention anything about staining or discoloration from vaping?"
Actually, my orthodontist didn't seem too concerned about staining specifically. She mentioned that vaping doesn't usually stain teeth like coffee or cigarettes do, since there's no tar involved. But she did emphasize the dryness issue you brought up—said it can indirectly make teeth look duller over time because saliva helps protect enamel. So maybe it's more subtle than direct staining? Either way, seems like dryness is the bigger culprit here...
Yeah, my dentist said something similar—didn't mention staining outright, but warned me about dry mouth causing enamel issues. I've noticed my teeth feeling kinda gritty after vaping sessions...definitely makes me reconsider how often I'm doing it.
