LLU awarded $810,000 state grant to study effects of vaping products and cannabis on gum disease

Loma Linda University recently received a state grant of $810,000 to study how the use of e-cigarettes, vaping products, and cannabis smoke affect gum disease in adults. This research will fill in a gap in scientific understanding on whether these new and newly legal products cause gum disease progression.

Previous studies have examined cigarette use on gum disease, researchers said. This study, funded by California's Tobacco Related Disease 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 e-cigarettes and smoking marijuana, that's where we have a gap in knowledge," said Hansel Fletcher, PhD, a professor in Dental Education Services at Loma Linda University School of Dentistry and the study's principal investigator. "These new products are often used on a daily basis as smoking cessation aids or for medicinal purposes, so research is needed to evaluate the oral health safety of these products."

The project, called "Periodontal Disease in Adults Using Aerosolized or Combustible Tobacco or Cannabis," will involve up to 240 participants. The cohort will study residents of San Bernardino and Riverside counties, including those who receive services at the School of Dentistry.

This study is a collaborative project that involves the Loma Linda University's School of Dentistry, School of Medicine, and the Cancer Center.