While many people choose oral piercings for style, few realize the day-to-day challenges they bring.
How does facial jewelry impact oral health?
Jewelry can make it harder to chew comfortably, may click against teeth when speaking, and can even affect how you taste food.
Keep reading to learn more.
Oral piercings are done on sensitive and nerve-packed areas of the face. During the piercing process, there’s always a chance of damaging nerves or blood vessels in the tongue or lips. While initial swelling and pain will subside, long-term damage can cause long-term problems.
Examples we often see include lasting numbness, prolonged bleeding, or difficulty moving the tongue. These issues can persist long after removing a piercing and are expensive or impossible to resolve, which is why we caution about oral piercings.
Patients with braces or aligners face added risks. Jewelry can scrape against orthodontic appliances, damage brackets, or create sores inside the mouth. In some cases, dentists recommend removing piercings during orthodontic treatment to avoid complications.
Piercings around the lips or cheeks may rub against gum tissue. Over time, the constant contact wears down gums, which exposes more tooth. Receded gums won’t grow back, creating a long-term concern. Those with such piercings commonly report greater sensitivity.
Dentists can’t prevent all risks from oral piercings, but they can provide advice on minimizing damage. Specialized cleanings, mouthguards, and routine monitoring help keep complications under control. Turn to our general dental team for preventive dental care in Weyburn and detailed advice for caring for your smile.
Wearing oral piercings or considering them? In all honesty, our general dental team often recommends you reconsider future piercings due to the increased risks they pose to your smile. Even so, our team is committed to protecting your smile with or without piercings. We provide a personalized oral care plan to mitigate risks and monitor your smile.
Schedule your next dental visit with Smiles on Souris.
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