Oral Trauma Following Exploding E-Cigarette
Electronic cigarettes (E-cigarettes), or personal vaporizers, have been available in the United States since 2007. Since their appearance on the market, more than 450 brands and at least 7,600 flavors have been marketed. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research has awarded more than $2 million in first-year funding to seven research grants centered on studying the effects of e-cigarettes on oral and craniofacial tissues. The timing of this award is critical as reports of e-cigarette injuries is on the rise and research shows an increasing number of high school students are now using e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes consist of a heating element and a cartridge “tank” that holds a vapor solution. The solution is a mixture of nicotine, flavorings, and additives to enhance the vapor effects. It is powered most commonly by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that is triggered manually or when the consumer initiates a “drag”.
Recently, the U.S. Fire Administration has been evaluating the safety of e-cigarettes after reports of explosions and fires have increased. These explosions have been observed frequently enough that the US Department of Transportation has recently banned e-cigarette devices in checked baggage aboard airplanes.
The University of Cincinnati studied the mouth of an 18 year old that had an e-cigarette explode while using it. The patient reported that it occurred the moment he activated the device. Clinical evaluation showed a swelling of the upper and lower lips, oral burns, lacerations, as well as lost and fractured teeth. Ultimately, the patient would need multiple procedures including extractions, bone grafts and implants, to re-establish function and acceptable cosmetic results.
E-cigarettes carry a variety of health risks for users and those around them. Aerosols in e-cigarettes contain at least 10 toxic chemicals on California’s Proposition 65 list of chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects.
It seems there is one more factor to consider when using e-cigarettes: explosions and fires. E-cigarettes are most at risk of explosion while charging. Using a charger other than the factory-recommended charger can subject the lithium-ion battery to a higher current than is safe, leading to a higher temperature that can result in an explosion or fire.
While the safety and regulations regarding e-cigarettes are actively being debated, it is important to note that injury due to explosions or fire can be serious, even deadly, and require immediate, extensive and costly treatment.
http://www.joms.org/article/S0278-2391(16)00009-4/fulltext
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