Recall that high school crush you developed on that man sporting a lip ring? I wonder about his present state of teeth. At Summerlin Dental Solutions, we are all about the freedom of self-expression; if body modifications like tattoos and piercings appeal to you, we are here for you. As your dental health professionals, we highly advise against oral piercings especially since they may be rather damaging to your teeth—and we want you to maintain your teeth healthy so you can continue to express yourself with your beautiful smile. Oral piercings are any piercing in or around the mouth. The only choices in the past were conventional tongue or lip piercings; today, there are more choices than you could possibly shake a stick at. Should it be in your mouth, you have better think someone has pierced it.
Infection You know the risk of infection and the need of keeping your new piercing clean if you have ever had ears or anything else pierced. But given their position in or around the mouth, oral piercings have a far greater infection rate. Millions of bacteria—some of which are benign and others rather harmful—that could penetrate the piercing site and start an infection abound in the mouth. Secondary infections can cause major sickness including blood-borne hepatitis, angina, and herpes, claims the American Dental Association. Oral piercings have always a danger of infection, but especially in the first weeks after the first one. Infection symptoms include swelling, discomfort, fever, chills, shaking, or a red-streaked appearance all around the piercing. As soon as you see symptoms of an infection, get in touch. Damage to teeth and gum Damage of teeth and gums is one of the most often occurring dental issues connected with oral piercings. Whether from chewing ice or brushing your teeth too aggressively, it's easy enough to harm your teeth and gums already. Including a piece of metal jewelry, the equation becomes a formula for disaster. Oral piercings can damage enamel in the form of cracks, chips, scratches, and tooth sensitivity and irritate the gum tissue. If you have any dental work done—including fillings or crowns—oral piercings can damage these as well. Therefore, if you do not want to spend more money and time in the dental chair having your dental work corrected, we advise selecting a non-oral piercing—should you really feel the need to pierce anything. Damage of Nerves After a tongue piercing, numbness from nerve injury is not unusual; this is typically transient but occasionally may be permanent. Apart from the movement and operation of your lips, nerve injury might compromise your sense of taste. Furthermore well-known to damage the tongue's blood vessels, tongue piercings can lead to significant blood loss. Additional Hazards With piercings, allergic reactions are always possible. Some people are just hypersensitive to some metals, while others have specific metal allergies. Tongue piercings can produce more saliva, which can lead to lisp and cause too much drooling as well as change your speaking habits. Not as striking as you had hoped it would be, huh? Lastly, oral piercings might pose issues in dental treatment since they distort x-rays and obscure our view of your mouth in its whole. Our counsel We do advise taking out an oral piercing if you already have one, but we understand if it has become a mainstay of your style. After reading this post, if you are either keeping or still considering obtaining an oral piercing, at least follow our advise on how to take care of it and avoid or minimize dental issues. • Select a jewelry design that complements the site of your mouth. • Adjust your jewelry accordingly. Initially, longer or larger jewelry could be required owing to swelling; but, once the swelling subsides, the jewelry should be changed or altered to suit. •Should you pick metal jewelry, be conscious of any sensitivities you could have and ensure the item meets surgical implant grade criteria. • Choose a smaller ball for the bottom of the tongue to minimize contact with this delicate tissue area; use polymer balls to lower the chance of harm. • Contrary to what you would think, alcohol-free is a healthier alternative as alcohol is drying and a dry mouth is more prone to infection; keep the piercing clean and clear of debris by brushing and flossing diligently and rinsing with mouthwash after every meal • Steer clear of toying with your jewelry or moving it about in your mouth—including clicking it around against your teeth or chewing on it. Speak and eat with awareness of how the jewelry moves. Be kind. • Often check the tightness of your jewelry (with clean hands) to make sure it's secure so you won't choke or swallow on it. •.If you play sports, you could wish to take off your jewelry and always use a mouthguard. Keep up your conscientious dental cleaning schedule and see Summerlin Dental Solutions often so we may identify any minor issues before they become more serious. This post should cause you to consider oral piercings twice. After all, there are plenty of other sites to pierce and lots of other ways you might express yourself without irreparably hurting your mouth. Whether you already have an oral piercing or are thinking about having one, we hope you will use our recommendations on how to best reduce the damage. We would be happy to talk with you should you have any further questions regarding oral piercings or anything else pertaining to oral health. GET TO KNOW YOUR BEST DENTIST IN SUMMERLIN
Dr. Marianne Cohan was voted 15- time Best of Las Vegas from The Las Vegas Review-Journal. She received her Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1992.
With an emphasis on cosmetic dentistry, complete makeovers, and implant dentistry, Dr. Cohan is committed to continuing education and feels that we never stop learning. Dr. Cohan takes pride in using high-powered magnification to perform minimally invasive restorative dentistry. She uses all the latest technological advances including digital radiography, digital photography, computer simulations, and high-resolution pictures of your proposed treatment on 55-inch screens. She also utilizes CBCT (cone beam) and laser technology.
Dr. Cohan is always available to her patients and is available for any dental emergency.
