Oral piercings may be popular, but they can lead to serious health problems. If you want lip or tongue rings, you must be aware of the risks associated with them. Most forms of mouth jewelry use pieces of plastic or metal that can easily damage your teeth. They can easily chip and crack teeth or even cause minor lacerations to your gums. This can lead to significant bleeding and leave you at risk for serious infections, including hepatitis and endocarditis. Jewelry in your tongue repeatedly striking your front teeth can create a gap in your smile which will need to be addressed by orthodontics. Furthermore, lip and tongue rings could break, in which case they will become choking hazards. Tongue rings are known to cause nerve damage or burst blood vessels if they are placed incorrectly. Furthermore, mouth jewelry can increase your risk of oral inflammation, and can even make cleaning your mouth more difficult.

If you are thinking about getting an oral piercing, you should talk to our dentist at French Run Family Dental in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, before you decided to go ahead with the piercing. You are welcome to contact us at 614-866-1234. Dr. Carly Locsey and our entire team look forward to improving your smile!