Piercings in the mouth can cause complications including:
- pain
- swelling
- bleeding
- infection
- slow healing
- difficulty chewing
- difficulty speaking.
If you choose to have your tongue or lip pierced, plastic jewellery is recommended over metal. The metal ball or backing can repeatedly knock and rub against your teeth causing cracks, tooth wear or gums to recede. In extreme cases, the metal tongue piercing knocking against your teeth continually can cause the dental pulp (nerve) to die in one or more of the lower front teeth.
If you have an oral piercing or are thinking of getting one, consider talking to your dentist about the risks this can have on the health of your teeth and gums.
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