Oral Piercing - what you should know

Oral Piercings - A Friend or Foe to Your Health?

The piercing of oral structures has a higher than normal risk of infection due to the vast amounts of bacteria that thrive in the mouth. Unfortunately, as body piercing becomes more in vogue, and as individuals run out of body parts to pierce, many are now turning to the mouth, lips and tongue as places to adorn their jewelry.

Common symptoms following the piercing of intra-oral structures include pain, swelling, infection and an increased flow of saliva. Other potential complications include the cracking or fracturing of teeth and restorations; the interference with chewing, swallowing or speaking; injury to ones gums; and the development of nerve sensitivity as a result of the galvanic currents that arise from the metal jewelry contacting the metal fillings in one's mouth.

It is important to point out that a large portion of the population of individuals who choose to pierce their lips, cheeks and tongue will more than likely undergo one or more of the above listed adverse conditions. There also exists the possibility that a piece of the jewelry may be swallowed unintentionally, posing a serious threat if it were to be aspirated into one's lung.

In recent years dentists have seen a number of patients who have required root canal procedures or tooth extractions due to the damage caused by their patient's oral piercing. Although body piercers instruct their recipients to rinse with Listerine or Gly-Oxide, it is not unheard of to encounter serious secondary infections or even airway obstruction from excessive swelling. The manipulation of the jewelry with one's unwashed fingers may also introduce the possibility of infection.

If one is to pierce one of their oral structures, it is recommended that either surgical grade steel, 14-karat yellow or white gold or niobium jewelry be used. It is even more critical that the chosen jewelry be removable. The individual should be reminded that homecare is critical, and not to be ignored. Plaque and tartar (which harbor bacterial colonies) do build up around oral piercings, and should be cleaned at home daily, and at regular recalls at the dentist's office. Intra-oral jewelry may also obstruct certain findings on dental x-rays, hindering a thorough oral examination.

Oral piercing is not as painless as ear piercing; anesthetic is not used. Tongue piercing, for example, relies on the use of a clamp or hemostat to stabilize the tongue while the piercing is being performed by a needle of similar gauge as the piece being inserted. It is very important that the individual placing the pierce be experienced, because the tongue does contain many blood vessels.

If one or more of these vessels were to be punctured, swelling and the risk of prolonged bleeding may occur. Keep in mind that body piercers are unlicensed and more than often self-trained. If the proper infection control standards are not strictly followed, the possibility of transmitting diseases (ie. hepatitis, HIV and herpes) becomes a realistic consequence. My advice is to think long and hard before subjecting one's self to this form of art and self-expression.