As the popularity of vaping continues to rise, Ohio State experts are studying the possible effects of e-cigarettes on oral health. The statewide study, led by oral surgeon Purnima Kumar, PhD, DDS, is focused on the potential impacts of e-cigarette usage on young adults — particularly any effects on oral cavities. The study is part of a wider effort at The James to gain a better understanding of the health effects of e-cigs, which have grown in usage by 600 percent in the U.S. over the past decade and are expected to continue to gain users over the coming years. “In 2023, the e-cig business is supposed to be $44 billion. There are 400 brands. There are over 7,000 flavors,” Kumar says. “We really don’t know anything about their effects on health — if they have an impact on health or if they are completely safe to use.”