Piercing

Oral piercing

Oral piercing, which includes piercing of the tongue or lip, has increased in popularity among teens in recent years. But many teens that have their lips or tongues pierced may be looking to their dentists and physicians for help afterwards.

How can oral piercing be bad for your health?

Although piercing is fashionable these days, it is important to know it is associated with many health risks.

Infection is one of the most common complications of oral piercing. It can happen when the piercing is done or/and later when you manipulate the jewelry. Your mouth contains millions of bacteria and any time there is an opening in the skin, tongue or lips an infection can develop.

Pain and swelling are other side effects of piercing. Your tongue could swell large enough to close off your airway. Piercing also can cause major blood loss or nerve damage and puts you at risk of being contracting viral diseases.

The jewelry itself can also cause some damage to your mouth and teeth. It can cause your gum (gingiva) to recess which can lead to more complications. It can chip or crack your teeth. Furthermore, if it loosens, you can choke on it or swallow it and hurt your digestive tract.

It is also important to know that this jewelry can interfere with X-rays (pictures of your teeth) and we might miss anomalies in your mouth such as tumors or cysts.

So, skip the mouth jewelry and let your healthy smile make your fashion statement!