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Vape pen explodes, shatters teen's jaw

17-year-old Austin Adams wanted to quit smoking, so he transitioned to electronic cigarettes in attempt to ease the addiction.
An e-cigarette exploded while being used by a 17-year-old and shattered his jaw. (Shutterstock/By Hazem.m.kamal)

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah. (WTHR) — 17-year-old Austin Adams wanted to quit smoking, so he transitioned to electronic cigarettes in attempt to ease the addiction.

He bought a device from a company called VGOD and had been using it until recently when it exploded in his mouth.

The force knocked out several teeth and shattered his jaw, Today reported.

"Austin came in with his hand up to his mouth," Burton, 45, told NBC News.

According to a doctor who took care of Austin, the teen had a blast injury to his lower jaw and burns around his lip.

The case was described in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Last week the FDA finalized guidelines that recommends companies provide detailed information about the kinds of batteries used with tobacco products.

E-cigarette explosions occur when the lithium-ion battery inside a vape pen overheats, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The FDA is in charge of regulating all tobacco products — including e-cigarettes.

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