I’m sure most of us are aware of how bad vaping and smoking can be for us. However, vaping does have its uses – it can sometimes be used to help you cut down on smoking, it’s cheaper than buying a pack of cigarettes and it’s said to be less harmful to those around you than traditional second-hand smoke is.
But a study on 18 used vapes found near Baxter College, a secondary school in Kidderminster, by Inter Scientific laboratory, Liverpool, found that several vapes contained high levels of lead, nickel and chromium – far higher than is safe for humans to come into contact with.
Exposure to lead can be particularly dangerous, especially to children and teens who are more commonly using vapes. According to the WHO, lead exposure can attack the brain and central nervous system, causing coma, convulsions and even death.
If that isn’t alarming enough for you, vaping can also apparently cause you to lose your taste. @drstewartbeggs calls this vape tongue and explains why excessive vaping can cause some individuals to lose their sense of taste.
Dr. Stewart says: “It causes such a massive increase in nicotine and a really dry mouth so you end up losing your sense of taste.”
However, don’t worry just yet as Stewart explains that your taste will eventually come back once you cut down the vaping.
If you think you have vape tongue, Stewart suggests putting the vapes down or reducing the number of times you vape.
“It can be linked to dehydration so start drinking more water and make sure you’re fully hydrated,” he adds.
Stewart continues: “Clean your tongue, brush your teeth, floss, use a tongue scrapper to see if that helps as well.”