The Overlap of Oral Piercings & Oral Health

Piercings are a form of self-expression, and they’re becoming more popular (and less taboo) by the minute. Facial piercings are one popular medium for showing people what your vibe is when they meet you, and several of these facial piercings affect or are inside the mouth. Yeah, they look awesome, but are they threatening your oral health?

Here’s a few reasons the ADA recommends avoiding the inside of your mouth when deciding on a piercing – and that includes you, Angelbites and Monroes:

• If you don’t know whether or not you have a metal allergy, an oral piercing will cause inflammation, infection, and can even cause your airways to close.
• Oral piercings can trigger gum recession.
• Nerve damage from a piercing can cause oversalivation and even chronic drooling.
• You can crack, chip or break teeth on certain piercings, and risk enamel damage if a piercing runs up against teeth.
• You risk the piercing healing incorrectly and becoming embedded, which requires surgery to remove and is likely to leave scarring.

Did you have any idea there were all these risks associated with a simple Medusa piercing? Neither do most people. In fact, one study found that, of people who had one or more oral piercings, over 70% had never been informed of any oral health risks. And here’s the thing – we’re not telling you not to express yourself. We’re just letting you know there are things to consider besides how cool the piercing will look, and to be extra diligent about your dental care when you do get one!