Alcohol-free mouthwash helped me too, but honestly, flavorings never seemed to make much difference for me. Could it be more about vaping frequency rather than the flavors themselves? Curious if he's tried cutting back a bit to see if symptoms ease up...
"Could it be more about vaping frequency rather than the flavors themselves?"
Yeah, I think you're onto something there. When I was vaping pretty heavily (trying to quit smoking on a tight budget), my gums started feeling sensitive and irritated no matter what flavor I used. Cutting back definitely helped me—symptoms eased up noticeably after just a week or two of reducing how often I vaped. Might be worth him giving it a shot...sometimes less really is more with these things.
"Cutting back definitely helped me—symptoms eased up noticeably after just a week or two of reducing how often I vaped."
That's a good observation. Frequency certainly plays a significant role, but it's also important to consider that vaping itself can dry out your mouth, reducing saliva flow. Saliva helps protect your teeth and gums from bacteria and irritation. I've seen patients who vape frequently report similar gum sensitivity and inflammation issues. Moderating usage and staying hydrated might help minimize these symptoms...though ideally, avoiding vaping altogether would be best for oral health.
That's a really good point about hydration. When I was vaping regularly, I noticed my mouth always felt dry and uncomfortable, especially in the mornings. Didn't connect the dots at first, but after my dentist mentioned it, things clicked. Cutting back definitely helped me too—less gum irritation and sensitivity overall.
One thing that also made a difference for me was chewing sugar-free gum or using lozenges occasionally to keep saliva flowing. Sounds silly maybe, but it genuinely helped ease some of that dryness and discomfort. Of course, quitting altogether would be ideal...but realistically, even small changes can make a noticeable difference.
Anyway, glad you're seeing improvements already—it's encouraging when you notice positive changes quickly like that. Keep it up!
Interesting points, but I'm not totally convinced sugar-free gum or lozenges are the best solution here. Sure, they help temporarily by stimulating saliva, but they're more of a band-aid than a real fix. I've dealt with dry mouth issues myself (not from vaping, just medication side effects), and my dentist actually cautioned me about relying too much on gum or lozenges—even sugar-free ones. Apparently, some artificial sweeteners can still mess with your oral microbiome if you use them constantly.
What worked better for me was upping my water intake throughout the day and using a humidifier at night. Sounds basic, I know...but it genuinely made a bigger difference long-term than chewing gum ever did. Plus, hydration has other health benefits beyond just oral comfort.
Not knocking your experience—if gum helps you personally, that's great—but I'd suggest looking into other hydration methods too. Sometimes the simplest solutions are actually the most effective in the long run.
