Loma Linda University recently received a state grant of $810,000 to study how the use of e-cigarettes, vaping products, and cannabis affect gum disease in adults. This research will fill a gap in scientific knowledge by examining whether these new commercial products for tobacco and cannabis use cause progression of gum disease.
Previous studies have established cigarette smoking as a risk factor for gum disease, researchers said. This study, funded by California’s Tobacco Related Disease Research Program, will explore the effect of aerosolized nicotine, aerosolized cannabis, or combustible cannabis on disease progression.
“There is evidence that smoking cigarettes impacts gum disease. When it comes to habitual use of e-cigarettes and cannabis, that’s where we have a knowledge gap,” said Hansel Fletcher, PhD, professor and vice chair of the Department of Basic Sciences at Loma Linda University School of Medicine and the study’s leader.
“These new products are often used daily as smoking cessation aids or for medicinal purposes, so research is needed to evaluate the oral health safety of these products,” said Pramil Singh, DrPH, a professor and director of the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Research Program at Loma Linda University Cancer Center, and a co-investigator on the study.
The project, called “Periodontal Disease in Adults Using Aerosolized or Combustible Tobacco or Cannabis,” will involve up to 240 participants. The cohort study includes residents of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, including those who receive services at the School of Dentistry.
This study is a collaborative effort involving Loma Linda University’s School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, and the Transdisciplinary Tobacco Research Program at Loma Linda University Cancer Center.