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What are the risks involved?

The potential side effects of oral piercings include:

• Infection — our mouths contain millions of bacteria, which can easily lead to infection after a mouth piercing. Handling your stud or rings or bars once they have been placed in the mouth also increases your chances of infection.
• Prolonged bleeding — if a blood vessel is punctured by the needle during piercing, the result can be difficult-to-control bleeding and/or high levels of blood loss.
• Pain and swelling — pain and swelling are common symptoms of oral piercings. In extreme cases, a severely swollen tongue can actually close off your airway and restrict breathing.
• Chipped or cracked teeth — contact with mouth piercings can fracture your teeth. Teeth that have restorations, like crowns or caps, can also be damaged easily if the bar or stud hits off them as they are not as strong as natural teeth.
• Injury to the gums and soft tissue — piercings can damage soft gum tissue and can cause the gums to recede. Gum recession leaves the root of your tooth more vulnerable to decay and gum disease.
• Interference with normal oral function — piercings in the mouth can cause excessive saliva, affect speech and impede chewing and swallowing.
• Endocarditis — mouth piercings carry a risk of endocarditis, an inflammation of the heart valves or tissues. The wound created during your piercing provides the perfect opportunity for bacteria to enter your bloodstream and travel to the heart.

Due to the risks involved, even after the wound itself has healed (such as damage to the teeth or piercings becoming loose and subsequently ingested) our Dental team would recommend that you avoid oral piercings altogether.

If you already have oral piercings and are concerned about the ill-effects, give our Customer Service team a call and they will answer any questions you may have. Call now on 01 2842570.