Lip Piercing, Tongue Piercing and the Dangers to Oral Health

Piercing is a popular and common fashion trend among youth. Gone are the days when the ear was the most common site for piercing. Nowadays, young adults love to pierce different parts of the body. Two such famous sites for piercing are the tongue and lips. The jewellery on the piercings might look attractive, but it poses several hazards to oral health. This article will give insights into the ill effects of piercing the tongue and lip.

What dentists say about tongue/lip piercing

Dentists do not recommend piercing the tongue and lips, as it may deteriorate oral health. Individuals who pierce their tongue and lip are often unaware that wearing jewellery inside the mouth or lip area can actually damage their gums and teeth. A well-known study revealed that tongue and lip piercing could result in gum diseases and cause injury to the teeth.

For the study, researchers compared teeth and gums near the piercing to teeth and gums in other parts of the mouth. They included eight trials with 408 participants with 236 lip piercings and 236 tongue piercings. Every sixth patient had piercings in more than one oral location. The duration of wearing ranged from one month to 19 years, and the majority of the jewellery was composed of metal. The results showed:

Tongue piercings—three out of five studies discovered deeper pockets surrounding teeth adjacent to the piercing, while three out of four studies discovered wider gaps. All four studies that looked at patients for receding gums discovered this issue in individuals with tongue piercings. Two out of three studies discovered bleeding gums.
Lip piercings—the most common finding was receding gums, which was seen in three out of four investigations.

The dangers of lip/tongue piercing: 13 risks

The risks associated with lip and tongue piercing are listed below.

It can cause problems with speech, chewing and swallowing.
The mouth is a wet habitat where a large number of germs breed, making it the perfect location for infection. Piercing increases the likelihood of infection, and if an infection is not treated right away, it can soon become life-threatening. A piercing may also result in swelling of the tongue, which could obstruct the airway. Studies have revealed such cases where individuals got life-threatening conditions such as Ludwig angina and herpes simplex virus infection a few days after piercing.
Piercing can result in a chipped tooth. Frequently biting or playing with the piercing can damage the gums, resulting in sensitive, cracked or scraped teeth. Also, fillings may become damaged by piercings.
Most people love to wear a piece of metal jewellery for their piercings. Since they are placed inside the mouth, there is always a risk of developing an allergy to the metal.
The individual who undergoes tongue piercing might suffer a numb tongue following a piercing due to nerve injury, which is typically transient but can occasionally be permanent. The wounded nerve could impact the sense of taste or movement of the tongue. In addition, if the tongue’s blood vessels are accidentally traumatized during the piercing, there is a risk of significant blood loss, which could result in a major complication.
People may notice an increase in saliva (spit) production that makes them drool a lot after tongue piercing.
Jewellery in the piercing obstructs dental X-rays, which can affect dental treatment and interfere with routine dental procedures.
Pain is the most common complication of tongue and lip piercing.
Other complications include: the development of an infectious swelling of the tongue called a lingual abscess, scarring complications like keloid (a thick scar), and the occurrence of precancerous oral lesions like lichenoid.
Tongue and lip piercing have also been associated with purulent, peculiar and colourful discharges.
Another danger from jewellery is that it can be swallowed or inhaled, which can harm the digestive or respiratory systems.
The technique used to place tongue jewellery may damage or break the front teeth, and it may require you to have tooth extraction as well, so be careful with that.
The rarest risk is the jewellery getting embedded in the surrounding tissues and needing to be surgically removed. Although it is rare, some studies have reported cases of this complication.

6 safety measures to follow after piercing

If you cannot stop yourself from getting the piercing done or you already have a piercing, here are some safety measures you should follow to prevent the dangers.

Call your doctor immediately if you experience any infection-related symptoms, including pain, swelling, fever, chills, shaking, or a reddish appearance near the piercing.
When participating in sports, take off your jewellery and wear a mouth guard to protect your mouth.
The jewellery should not be clicked against the teeth and should be worn gently to prevent stress on the piercings. While speaking and chewing, be mindful of the jewellery’s movement so you won’t accidentally damage it. Avoid chewing or speaking too fast while wearing the jewellery.
The most important measure is maintaining the hygiene of the piercing site, which can prevent infections. Use mouthwash after every meal to keep the piercing site clear and free of any debris that might collect on the jewellery. It is also recommended to take off your jewellery while eating and sleeping.
Check your jewellery’s tightness from time to time. This is crucial because by catching the jewellery’s looseness in time, you can prevent accidentally ingesting it if it gets dislodged due to looseness.
Brush and floss every day and schedule frequent dental visits after the piercing. Never miss cleaning your tongue properly after tongue piercing.