Oral piercings have become all the rage in modern culture. They are a way of expressing your personality and creating the appearance you want. Unfortunately, oral piercings can do more harm than good when it comes to oral health.
Oral piercings can be abrasive to your gums and teeth, causing lasting damage if worn long enough. They can also foster harmful bacteria and oral infections. The safety of oral piercings depends on the type of piercing you have and where it is located in your mouth.
To get find out if your oral piercings have caused damage, or if future cosmetic procedures will schedule an appointment with Trident General Dentistry.
Types of Mouth Piercings and Your Teeth
Oral piercings encompass the entire mouth area, including the lips, cheeks, and tongue. Some oral piercings have little effect on your overall oral health, while others are almost always detrimental. The location of the piercing matters a lot when it comes to protecting your dental health.
Lip Piercings
Lip piercings tend to rub against your gums and cause irritation. There is also a risk of infection, as with any piercing. An infection around your lip piercing can spread to other areas of your mouth, causing harmful bacteria buildup. This increases your risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.
Tongue Piercings
Tongue piercings are some of the biggest culprits when it comes to oral piercings and tooth damage. The metal piercing can easily and frequently rub against your teeth, causing chips, cracks, and enamel damage. This friction against the metal piercing can cause irreparable damage to your teeth.
If you bite down hard enough on your metal tongue piercing, you can chip your tooth entirely. This would require emergency dental care to repair your tooth. The best way to prevent tooth emergencies from tongue piercings is to avoid them altogether.
Smiley Piercing
Smiley piercings are very damaging to your teeth and gums. Smiley piercings go through the cartilage under your top lip, between your lip and gums. The metal piercing resides right on top of your gums and front teeth. The constant friction between the metal and your gums and teeth causes extensive damage to your dental health.
Along with tooth enamel damage and chipped teeth, smiley piercings can erode your gum tissue. This can cause a receding gum line, which increases your risk for oral disease and may require surgery.
Are Lip or Tongue Piercings Safer?
When it comes to minimizing oral damage, lip piercings are a better option than tongue piercings. Lip jewelry is less likely to damage your tooth enamel and chip your teeth. However, there is still a risk of infection and swelling with lip piercings.
Regular Dental Care for Oral Piercing Safety
If you wonder if your oral piercings are safe or have caused any oral damage so far, you can visit Trident General Dentistry in Charleston, South Carolina, for an evaluation. Our experienced, caring team of dental professionals will check out the state of your teeth and gums to provide recommendations for your dental care.
Book an appointment with Trident General Dentistry today to ensure your piercings have not caused damage to your oral health.