How Oral Piercings Can Damage Your Dental Health

Before receiving an oral piercing, we want to make sure that you’re informed about the possible risks that can accompany these types of accessories. An informed decision can help reduce any instances of regret after the piercing has been performed.

Health Risks of Oral Piercings

Some of the dental risks associated with oral piercings can include the following:

• Damage to the gum tissue
• Loss of taste
• Chipped or cracked teeth
• Infection
• Eventual loss of teeth

Out of all of these possibilities, infection is perhaps the most common. Millions of bacteria live in the mouth, making infection a likely result of an oral piercing. Additionally, it’s difficult to have a piercing and resist the urge to touch or mess with it, introducing even more bacteria. Lastly, the food you eat while your wound is still healing poses a third source of bacteria.

Chewing on your oral piercing is common, and can lead to fractured, cracked, or broken teeth. If the cracks are minor enough, they can be repaired with dental filling material, but if the fracture goes deeply enough into the tooth, removal of the tooth may become necessary.

If you do choose to receive an oral piercing, we recommend that you clean the piercing site after each meal by using an antiseptic mouthwash. It’s also a good idea to brush and clean your hardware at the same time you brush your teeth each day.

To make an appointment with Dr. Preston Polson, please contact Meadows Family Dentistry today. Our office is located in beautiful Castle Rock, CO.