James Moorhouse
Mamma Mia star Lily James has revealed how vaping had a surprising side effect which she says ended up 'ruining' a part of her body.
The British actress, who is best known for her role in the Abba musical sequel, is one of many who have succumbed to the flavourful e-cigarettes in recent years.
Although the NHS maintains that they remain a good substitute for tobacco and normal cigarettes, their use has exploded among young people who had perhaps never smoked before.
This can already lead to some significant health issues, with 'popcorn lung' prevalent among some younger users who have become addicted to the brightly coloured vapes.
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However, Lily has so far managed to avoid any damage to her lungs and has instead spoken about the damage vaping has had on her teeth, suggesting the habit has played havoc with her pearly whites.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, the 36-year-old said: “I prided myself that I’d never had a filling.
“I did just recently get one – I was so upset. Apparently it’s from flavoured vapes, which are full of sugar. They f****d my teeth.
“I had braces twice because I never wore my retainer, which I'm doing again now."
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While most vapes don't contain sugar, they do contain various additives and artificial sweeteners to flavour the liquid.
According to Bupa UK, vapes inhibit saliva production, which can put you at greater risk of plaque build-up, gum disease, tooth loss and cavities.
According to a recent study, 11 percent of people in the UK vape, and the fact that some folks do it so regularly means it could even be worse for your body than smoking.
While the disposable vape ban, which was brought in at the start of the summer, might have driven numbers down slightly, one doctor's study made it clear exactly why it might be time to kick the habit for good.
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Dr Maxime Boidin, lead author of the study, pointed out that vaping may be worse simply because it's easier to keep going, whereas with a cigarette, you'd be forced to light another one immediately after the last if you didn't want to stop.
He said: “When you put this mixture of metals and chemicals into your body you can’t expect nothing to happen.
“Smokers tend to go outside and smoke, and once a cigarette is finished they have to light up another to keep going. But with vapes, you just keep going and it’s much harder to know how many puffs you’ve had.”
Despite the many warnings associated with both smoking and vaping, as well as the ban that is now in place, it seems as if people aren't going to stop vaping anytime soon.
But if more people value their teeth above their lungs, then perhaps they will heed Lily James' most recent warning and finally kick the trend for good.