LESÕES BUCOMAXILOFACIAIS OCASIONADAS POR EXPLOSÕES DE DISPOSITIVOS ELETRÔNICOS DE FUMO: UMA REVISÃO DE LITERATURA

Abstract

With the recent popularization of electronic cigarettes and their increasing use by the population, smoking has become an escalating public health issue.Young people are attracted to these devices due to the presence of flavoring essences in their composition; however, the harmful effects of this habit carry numerous consequences. It directly influences the systemic and oral health of individuals.Furthermore, these devices can explode, causing burns and projectile injuries, which can lead to death.Therefore, the objective of this study is to list the oral and maxillofacial injuries associated with these devices and explain how they are caused. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed and SciELO databases using the descriptors “e-cigarettes,” “explosions,” and “oral manifestations,” with “and” employed to complement the search.There were no restrictions regarding the year of publication or the country of origin of the studies (as long as the articles were written in English or Spanish).A total of 468 articles were found, of which 17 were selected, as they presented head and neck injuries in humans caused by electronic cigarette (EC) explosions. In general, the studies showed that the injuries affect a broad range of patients, predominantly young adult males, and encompass injuries from facial burns to dental and mandibular fractures, often requiring complex multidisciplinary treatments.Therefore, within the limitations of this review, it is concluded that ECs cause various health problems for users, among which are injuries resulting from their explosion.Nevertheless, further clinical research is required to consolidate knowledge on this topic, aiming to prepare dental surgeons and the multidisciplinary team to inform their patients about the harms not only regarding the oral health of users but also the risk of fatal explosions, as well as to treat these cases appropriately and effectively.