Are you or someone you love thinking about acquiring an oral piercing? If so, we would like to share some thoughts with you about oral piercings. While these are currently popular today, they are also risky. One of the biggest problems is that your mouth is always producing oral bacteria. In fact, there are millions of bacteria in the mouth allowing oral piercings to raise your risk of infection.
Once an area of piercing is infected, it can swell and close off the airway. A piercing can also crack a tooth when biting down too hard. Knocking a tooth repeatedly with a piercing can invite tooth damage. Other problems that can arise if you pierce your tongue, lips, or cheeks might involve the following risks:
— A painful, swollen area of infection can become life-threatening. For example, when the tongue swells so much that it prevents you from breathing.
— Piercings can damage gum tissue, increase your risk of tooth sensitivity, and harm dental fillings.
— Sensitivity to metals may arise as well as having allergic reactions to the piercing.
— Nerve damage can occur as the piercing numbs the tongue permanently. If that happens, you may no longer be able to taste properly, our move your mouth normally. When piercing damages the blood vessels in the tongue, blood loss can result.
— Tongue piercings can over stimulate saliva production, resulting in drooling.
— If your piercing blocks dental X-rays, your smile is more vulnerable to undetected problems.
Maintaining a healthy smile means protecting it from harm. If you have questions for our team, please give us a call at 951-643-4405. Our dentists, Drs. Manalese, Hamdani, Tsai, and Nguyen are here to assist you with all your oral care needs. At Regal Dentistry in Riverside, California, we strive to provide the quality care your smile deserves!