The Dental Dangers of Getting Your Tongue Pierced

Your style is a part of your personality. The jewelry you wear or the outfit you choose all assemble to create an image. However, sometimes, the piercing you might get to express yourself might affect your oral health. Here, we are talking about tongue piercing.

Unlike ear or nose piercing, the tongue is an integral part of your mouth. Whatever you eat, drink, or consume goes through your tongue. That is why it is essential to learn all about tongue piercing beforehand. Once you educate yourself about side effects and how to prevent them, You are free to choose.

This article will help you learn the dental dangers of tongue piercing. You can also explore how to avoid oral problems. You can also educate yourself on how to reduce the risk of infection and avoid long-term side effects.

Tongue Piercing Explained

Most teenagers want to look older than their age. They often get piercings as a mode of self-expression. While ear, nose, or belly piercings are common for teenagers, some even consider tongue piercings. The tongue is a sensitive organ. It is an essential part of your mouth, and a metal attached permanently to it can be dangerous.

Most piercings are not done by experts. Teenagers visit a random, shady parlor to get affordable piercings. Lack of sanitation and hygiene while piercing can affect your oral health. It can even have a deadly impact on your health. Most experts do not recommend intraoral and perioral piercings due to their side effects.

Once you get tongue piercings, you might take a few weeks to get a habit of it. Secondly, it will affect and cause friction with neighboring teeth, gums, and other oral parts. You might scratch the denture or fillings. It can also crack or scratch implants.

What Harm can tongue piercing cause to your Oral Health?

You cannot control your teenager or stop them from getting a piercing. This is why making them understand the consequences of tongue piercing is better. You should consult your child about what harm it could cause. It is important to educate your child and help them make an informed decision. Discussing broader issues like Stress and Oral Health can also be helpful, as stress-related habits may further impact oral hygiene, especially when combined with risky choices like piercings.

Many unlicensed parlors do piercings at minimal costs. They do not follow the required guidelines for hygiene or use medically approved tools for piercings. This is why you should avoid trusting such places. You must visit a trusted and licensed piercing provider. Otherwise, you might get the following conditions:

• Bacterial infections
• Blood clots
• Blood poisoning
• Brain abscess
• Chronic pain
• Damaged nerves
• Fractured or cracked teeth
• Heart infections
• Hypersensitivity reactions
• Periodontal disease or gum recession
• Problems enunciating
• Scarring

Long-Term Oral Problems Due to Piercing

Tattoos, piercings, or other procedures that involve permanent changes in your body must be done by experts only. It can cause long-term oral problems. Sometimes, the parlor uses infected tools without proper hygiene. Or they might use jewelry that is not made of high-grade material.

Once the jewelry pierced on your tongue stays in your mouth, it might slowly lose its harmful polish. Your body will absorb all toxic chemicals and get infected. Sometimes, your piercing will get infected. Or if not appropriately pierced, it might rip out of your tongue. All of these are painful and difficult to repair.

ADA or the American Dental Association do not recommend oral piercings to avoid such complications. Even if your child wants a piercing, you must consult an oral expert first. You must check the licensing of the piercing parlor and explore all the pros and cons before the procedure.

Tips To Avoid Dental Issues

Every oral procedure requires aftercare for quick recovery. You might not take tongue piercing seriously, but proper care after the procedure is essential. It can significantly reduce the risk of infection. You can return to your daily routine lifestyle with proper oral hygiene.

Here are some aftercare do’s and don’ts tips to promote oral health:

• You should avoid eating spicy, hot or acidic foods. Your diet must not involve hard or crunchy foods as well.
• You must stick to soft and mild foods.
• You should chew calmly and try to avoid irritating piercing as much as possible.
• You should avoid touching or playing with the piercing. It can introduce bacteria to the wound.
• You should use an antimicrobial mouthwash, especially after meals. You must refrain from using an alcohol-based mouthwash.
• You can rinse your mouth with warm salt water. It helps you avoid infection.
• You should avoid sharing any cups, plates or utensils with others till your wound is healed.
• You must refrain from oral sex, kissing or any other intimate activities involving mouth. Or it can increase the risk of infection.
• Smoking is also prohibited during the healing period. It slows the healing process and also causes infection.

Conclusion

Oral piercings are a scary deal for parents. You might wonder how much damage it can cause to your child’s oral health. However, with time, children are also gettting smarter. They want to express themselves with tattoos and piercings. But want to stay safe and infection-free as well. This is why you should discuss your child’s plan about piercing. This way, you can guide them better.

You can also consult oral experts at Devine Dentist to learn about tongue piercing risks. You can also explore ways to prevent oral infections. With effective preventive measures, you can promote oral hygiene. It can also reduce the risk of infection post-piercing procedure. Dentists can recommend precautions for better oral care and resolve oral problems effectively.