The Effects of Nicotine Pouches and E-Cigarettes on Oral Microbes: A Pilot Study

It remains uncertain whether nicotine pouches and electronic cigarettes alter the oral
environment and result in a high presence of periodontopathogenic bacteria in saliva, compared to
that among cigarette users or non-tobacco users. In this study, saliva samples were collected from
respondents using nicotine pouches, electronic cigarettes, and conventional cigarettes, alongside
a control group of non-tobacco users. Polymerase chain reaction was used to identify clinical
isolates of the following periodontal bacteria: Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Prevotella
intermedia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, Fusobacterium periodonticum, Porphyromonas endodontalis, and
Rothia mucilaginosa. The presence of some periodontal pathogens was detected in the saliva samples
from users of nicotine pouches, electronic cigarettes, and conventional cigarettes but not in samples
taken from the control group. Therefore, the initial results of this pilot study suggest that the
presence of periodontopathogenic bacteria in the saliva of nicotine pouch and electronic cigarette
users could alter the oral microbiome, leading to periodontal diseases. However, further quantitative
investigation is needed.
Keywords: pathogenic mi