The Problem with Oral Piercing

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Oral piercing has gone mainstream and is only becoming more popular. However, oral piercings are not great for your teeth. If you have a post or bar in your tongue or your cheek, you are asking for all sorts of problems. According to Dr. J. Craig Alexander, oral piercings can cause serious health issues including chipped or cracked teeth and infection.

Tongue Piercing

At a New York University alone, 16 percent of females and four percent of males had pierced tongues. Although tongue piercing doesn’t seem that serious, some issues could affect your teeth and mouth.

Problems that can occur with tongue piercing include nerve damage, scarring, swelling and gum disease. Of the college students surveyed, six percent had some type of problem with tongue piercing, which was lower than naval piercing, at 24 percent and nipple piercing at 21 percent. However, tongue and floor of the mouth infections seem to be on the rise. Although a trip to the ER isn’t common, a few people have been admitted needing intravenous antibiotics for infections.

Another problem with piercing is scaring. Once the post or bar is taken out, there will always be a scar. If that isn’t bad enough, your dental restorations could also pay a price for your oral piercings.

Chipped and Cracked Teeth

People who have lip or tongue piercings are more susceptible to chipped and cracked teeth. People who wear long barbells and had chips and cracks at the backs of their teeth.

Recent studies have also indicated that oral piercings can cause gum recession as most people with piercings push the stud or bar against the front teeth. Gum recession can cause tooth loss.

If you have been considering oral piercings, talk to your East Greenbush dentist before you do. He may be able to convince you that piercing your cheek, lip or tongue isn’t such a good idea after all.

Call or click for a dental consultation with Dr. J. Craig Alexander today.