Vaping left black holes in my teeth, says woman with £120-a-month habit

A former dental nurse whose £120-a-month vape addiction left her with two "black" front teeth is warning about the dangers.

Stacey Gardiner, 41, from Swansea, started vaping in 2017 and got hooked, sometimes using a standard 600-puff vape in just one day.

The blogger said she went "cold turkey" on her habit six months ago, after a dentist told her the two black marks on the tops of both her front teeth were likely "down to vaping".

"I always cleaned my teeth twice a day, I don't eat sweets and at first I wasn't aware what was causing it," she said.

Gardiner now has her smile back after paying £200 for clip-on veneers that cover the damaged teeth.

"I've been told the vapes leave residue around the top of your teeth and gumline.

"That's what causes the damage."

She first noticed a black mark at the top of her front right tooth five years ago, but said it "didn't occur" to her what was causing it.

When she quit vaping, Gardiner said she realised she "didn't actually enjoy it".

Her GP prescribed nicotine patches for the cravings, but she said they did not help.

"It was so hard to stop," she said.

"I wasn't addicted to the nicotine, I was more so doing it out of habit.

"The standard 600-puff vapes that used to be out would sometimes only last a day."

She said it was difficult to keep track of how much she was vaping.

"With cigarettes you know how much you are smoking I suppose," she said.

"In the end it was really hard but I managed to go cold turkey."

The former dental nurse said veneers have helped with her confidence.

"I don't wear them at home but if I'm going out I'll pop them in," she said.

"I didn't like going out and hated conversing with people.

"With the shape of my mouth when I'm talking it's really noticeable it's obviously black.

"In photos I would always pout and never smile, and that was the reason why."

She believes there is "more focus" on vapes being harmful for people's lungs rather than damage to teeth like hers.

She said: "If it was a 15-year-old they could be in the same position I'm in by the age of 20, and I don't think there is enough awareness, like how dangerous the sweetness and residue left on teeth [is]."

NHS Better Health said vaping "poses a small fraction of the risks of smoking".

"All products for sale must be notified to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) with detailed information including listing of all ingredients," it added.

"Always buy your vaping products from a reputable supplier like a specialist vape shop, pharmacy, supermarket or a UK-based online retailer so they are covered by UK safety and quality regulations."