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If piercings are your thing, we aren’t here to judge. We believe everyone should be free to express themselves how they wish. However, when it comes to oral piercings, the team at my El Paso dental office wants you to be aware of some of the concerns that go along with them.
If you’re thinking about getting your tongue, lip, or cheek pierced, make sure you know all of the risks involved with doing so in order to make an educated decision.
Infection. Since your mouth is always warm and moist, it’s the perfect place for bacteria to flourish. A piercing increases the chance that those bacteria will cause an infection. Once you create a hole in a place where bacteria already lives, it’s extremely common for infection to occur. These infections can be serious, even life threatening. If the infection makes the tongue swell, your airway can close, making it difficult to breathe.
Gum Disease. It’s more common for those with oral piercings to have gum disease than those without. Since there is essentially a foreign object in your mouth, the chance for gum damage is increased. Once the gums are damaged, bacteria can wiggle in there and lead to gum disease.
Tooth Damage. Many people with oral piercings play with them. A lot. Clanking the jewelry against teeth can cause them to chip or break, making dental treatment necessary. Clicking or accidentally biting the jewelry can also create tiny holes in the enamel, opening the root up to bacteria and decay. If this happens, you may need a filling or, if severe enough even a root canal.
To reduce your risk of infection, tooth damage, or gum disease, make sure to follow proper care of your oral piercing.
–Clean the area thoroughly and often to help keep bacteria and infection away.
–Rinse with water after eating to wash away food particles that can attract bacteria.
–Avoid playing with it to minimize the chance of tooth damage.
If you’ve already had a part of your mouth pierced, keep an eye out for any signs of infection including swelling, redness, fever, chills, or shaking. If you notice any of the symptoms, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
My El Paso dental office is here to help answer any questions or concerns you may have about getting an oral piercing. If you’re on the fence, call to schedule an appointment with us today.
Accepting patients from El Paso,Las Cruces, Cloudcroft.
He was excellent and pulled my wisdom tooth in less than 2 min. w/o chipping it. The service was good too.
Great dentist experience! While they do take my insurance, unfortunately, they are not part of my network, however, I liked them so much I will continue to see them.
We were very impressed with the helpful and friendly staff at this dental office.
I was very impressed and thankful with the service provided.
I’m 60 years old and I hated to go to the dentist, and put off going for a long time. But let me tell you Dr. Rizk is the best dentist I’ve ever had. I would of gone years ago. A no pain Dr. – thank you!
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