Disclaimer: Distressing images inside. Readers’ discretion advised.

A lot of people are making a shift from conventional cigarettes to e-cigarettes and vapes in an attempt to choose a more innocent option out of the two. But nicotine can still be detrimental to health in more ways than one and this teen learned it the hard way. 

In a recently published study in The New England Journal of Medicine by Katie Russell, a year-old case was brought to light where a young boy had a freak accident with an e-cigarette. 

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Around a year ago, a 17-year-old boy walked into an emergency room with pain with blood and swelling in his jaw. It was then revealed that only 2 hours before this, a vape had exploded in his mouth while he was using it

A 3D scan of the teen’s head showed the true extent of the damage done. 

Katie W. Russell/New England Journal of Medicine

Russell, a pediatric trauma surgeon who treated the boy’s injuries spoke about the extent of the damage.

The vape blew up his lower jaw causing a major fracture and bone loss. He also lost multiple teeth, had a large cut in his mouth, and some lip burns.

The hospital’s ENT surgeon added a small plate into his lower jaw bone and wired the jaw shut. A dentist attached a small device to secure the teen’s teeth while the jaw healed.  

Katie W. Russell/New England Journal of Medicine

Six weeks after the accident, the teen was assessed to be recovering well and the wire ligature was removed. Now it has been more than a year after the accident but the teen is still missing multiple teeth, but hopes to get implants soon.

He also plans to quit smoking after this.