When it comes to general dentistry, patients often learn some fascinating things. Along with the various procedures a dentist performs, dental professionals spend time educating people. Take tongue and lip piercings as an example; you may not realize that these can negatively affect your teeth.
Although tongue and lip piercings were part of ancient civilization, these became a fad in the 2000s. Throughout North America, people were going wild over this hot trend.
Since then, the number of people getting tongue and lip piercings has dwindled somewhat. Even so, it is not uncommon to see someone with one or both. To some people, these piercings look cool. For others, they seem silly. Regardless of a person’s opinion, there is a risk involved for teeth.
One of the biggest concerns among professionals in general dentistry is damage to tooth enamel. Even if someone has a plastic piercing rather than metal, it can chip or crack a tooth. Something as simple as biting down too hard on food could prove disastrous. If a tooth becomes chipped or cracked, there is a chance of nerves becoming exposed.
Another issue is that some piercings can rub against the gums. Over time, that can cause scrapes and tears that become infected. There is also a risk of a piercing scraping the mouth. That can cause abrasions, which could lead to an infection.
When dealing with exposed nerves or abrasions, an individual would likely suffer from pain. Anyone interested in getting a tongue or lip piercing should have the work done by a professional. Sterilization and the proper technique are critical. Otherwise, there could be problems for the individual down the line.
For someone with one or both types of piercings, a dentist would probably ask the individual to remove them. Otherwise, the piercings could interfere with a general dentistry procedure. Even for something as simple as having a cavity filled or a tooth extracted, a dentist cannot have any obstructions. If a patient undergoes oral surgery, there is a good chance they would need to leave the piercings out for some time. That could cause the hole to close.
If an emergency arose whereby an oral surgeon had to intubate a patient, jewelry would create a major problem. Fortunately, seldom does something like that happen with general dentistry. Regardless, dentists want to ensure that no harm comes to their patients. That means they will require not having tongue or lip piercings in at the time of a procedure.
While there is nothing wrong about lip and tongue piercings, you might want to think twice before getting one. Especially if you take pride in your smile, you want to avoid an issue. If you have a piercing and have developed a problem, contact your dentist. Usually, one that practices general dentistry can help.
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