What Parents Should Know About Oral Piercings

Before you receive or allow your teen to receive any piercing or body modification, it’s important that you’re as well informed as possible about the possible risks. More specifically, if you or your teen are interested in getting an oral piercing, there are a few things we here at Firestone Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics think that you should know before you make that decision.

 Some of the health risks involved with oral piercings include:

• Infection
• Chipped teeth
• Gum damage
• Loss of taste
• Tooth loss

 Oral piercings are notorious for making it more challenging to eat and speak, but many people will also develop habits of playing with or chewing on their piercings, much like how some people bite their nails or chew on pencils. This habit can lead to cracked, fractured, or broken teeth. In minor cases, dental fillings can be used to fill small cracks, but if the fracture goes deep enough into the tooth, you may need to have a root canal or even have the tooth removed completely.

 Lastly, oral piercings take between 4-6 weeks to heal, and these 4-6 weeks can be quite painful and uncomfortable. Your teen’s piercing will also require quite a bit of upkeep and maintenance to keep clean and healthy. Be sure that he or she is up to the task of caring for their piercing forever! 

To talk more about oral piercings or to make an appointment to discuss your teen’s piercing, please contact Firestone Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics.