BRIEF RESEARCH REPORT article
Front. Oral Health
Sec. Oral Health Promotion
Volume 6 - 2025 | doi: 10.3389/froh.2025.1547246
E-cigarette use and knowledge of its effect on oral health among health sciences students in Trinidad and Tobago
Provisionally accepted
- School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies St. Augustine, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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Background: Electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) use has become more common among younger age groups around the world. Health concerns, including oral health effects have been reported. Objective This research aimed to assess prevalence of e-cigarette use and knowledge of oral health effects among young university students in Trinidad and Tobago and implications for oral health promotion: Methods: A sample of 193 students, >18 years old, consisting of health sciences students from the Faculty of Medical Sciences, the University of the West Indies. Participants completed an online self-administered questionnaire including demographics, e-cigarette use habits and effect on oral health: Results: The majority were female participation (75.1%). Age range of participants was 19 to 25-years-old, mean age 22years old. 15% of participants currently used e-cigarettes. Most participants believed that e-cigarette use affects health (97.9%), is possibly addictive (91.2%), delivers nicotine (87%) and contains chemicals (87.6%). 51.3% believed that e-cigarette use, related to tooth decay and 58.5% gum disease. 44% of participants were not familiar with research on ecigarette use and its effects on oral health. Most participants thought the information on e-cigarettes was important (78.3%) and (71.5%) would speak to a dentist about its effects on oral health. 76% of participants indicated willingness to quit e-cigarette use if adverse oral health effects were understood: Conclusion: Among this sample of health sciences students, e-cigarette use was low. There was limited knowledge of its effects on oral health. Adverse effects of e-cigarette use on oral health should be included in oral health promotion initiatives.
Keywords: e-Cigarette, vaping, Smoking, Tobacco, Nicotine, Oral Health, Caribbean
Received: 18 Dec 2024; Accepted: 16 Jun 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Naidu, Beard, Rice, Ragbir and Thomas. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Rahul Siram Naidu, School of Dentistry, The University of the West Indies St. Augustine, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
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