{"id":952,"date":"2018-02-15T10:52:10","date_gmt":"2018-02-14T22:52:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citydentists.co.nz\/dental-blog\/oral-health-wellbeing\/are-oral-piercings-bad-for-your-teeth\/"},"modified":"2025-03-01T16:24:56","modified_gmt":"2025-03-01T04:24:56","slug":"are-oral-piercings-bad-for-your-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citydentists.co.nz\/dental-blog\/are-oral-piercings-bad-for-your-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Are oral piercings bad for your teeth?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Piercings are one of the most popular forms of self expression. There are several variations available, but some are riskier than others, and oral piercings are one of them.\u00a0Although they may look cool, oral piercings have been found to cause damage to the teeth<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Here’s everything you need to know about oral piercings and oral health.<\/p>\n

The effects of oral piercings on the teeth<\/h3>\n

Around 50 per cent of people living with an oral piercing have experienced injury to the gums or teeth, according to Livestrong. Here are some of the most common side effects associated with them:<\/p>\n

1. Receding gums<\/strong><\/p>\n

Gum recession is a condition where the gum tissue around the tooth pulls back, leaving more of the tooth exposed. This can be caused by a number of issues, including oral piercings. Previous studies discovered that in some cases, as many as 35 per cent of people who had tongue piercings for four years or longer developed receding gums\u00a0around the nearby teeth.<\/p>\n

Constantly playing with an oral piercing causes it to move against the gum, which in turn leads to irritation and gum recession. This can evolve into\u00a0tooth sensitivity<\/a> and pockets forming between the teeth and gums which can cause infection and loss of tooth if left untreated.<\/p>\n

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Around 50 per cent of people living with an oral piercing have experienced injury to the gums or teeth.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

2. Cracking and chipping<\/strong><\/p>\n

People with oral piercings may discover that it’s incredibly easy to accidentally bump this piece of jewellery against the teeth, especially when talking or eating. The contact of a piece of hard metal against the teeth can cause the enamel on the teeth to gradually wear away. This erosion exposes the dentin underneath, which may lead to sensitivity. Biting down too\u00a0hard can even\u00a0create\u00a0cracks within the teeth. This may require cosmetic dentistry<\/a> to fix the problem.<\/p>\n

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\"HowAre you taking care of your oral piercing?<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

3. Infection and swelling<\/strong><\/p>\n

Even if a piercing is done in a sterile environment, a person is still at risk of contracting infection following\u00a0the procedure. This is because the mouth is a warm and moist environment, home to high amounts of breeding bacteria<\/a> and therefore, the ideal place for infection to form. \u00a0Although\u00a0infection is fairly common, it’s important to treat any signs of irritation and swelling immediately to avoid the problem from worsening. Consult a doctor if infection is present.<\/p>\n

How can you prevent these problems?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Here are three easy ways to prevent problems:<\/p>\n