I'm sure either you or your friends have considered (or may already have) mouth jewelry or other piercings. You may think it looks "cool", but it's our job as your Indianapolis family dentist to alert you to the dangerous side-effects of this trend. Here's what can happen if you go ahead with an oral piercing:
- Your mouth contains millions of bacteria, and infection is a common complication in oral piercings.
- Pain and swelling are other side effects of piercings. Your tongue-the most popular piercing site in the mouth-could swell large enough to choke off your airway!
- Piercing can cause uncontrollable bleeding and nerve damage as well.
- You can easily choke on any studs, barbells, or hoops that come loose in your mouth.
- Chipped or cracked teeth can develop from contact with the jewelry, not to mention that the bacteria breeding around your piercing can cause bad breath!
You may not think any of these things will happen to you, but piercing is a fashion statement that involves more than just deciding on your jewelry style or placement. Piercing could have major consequences on your oral health, so keep that in mind when considering piercing your tongue or other areas inside your mouth.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our office at 317-882-0228 or we can check your mouth the next time you come in if you have concerns. We love our patients!