Are lip piercings a worry?

Q. Do piercings on my mouth affect my dental health and put me at risk of getting dental infections?

A. According to the American Dental Association cheek, tongue or lip piercings can interfere with your chewing, swallowing or speech.

Simply put, any procedure that contains the breaking of skin surface or tissue in your mouth increases the chances of infections. This opens a gateway for any bacteria that lives on the surface of your skin to manifest itself on the inside of the mouth.

Lip piercings in particular are prone to infections because they are a part of the skin surface as well as the mouth cavity. However, if looked after properly, the risk is reduced significantly. That is because the tissue in your mouth heals a lot quicker, due to the bloody supply and oxygen. Therefore, the quicker it heals, the lesser the chance of any infections.

Tongue or lip piercings can damage your teeth, as they are made of hard material. They can cause trauma to the oral tissue and then lead to your teeth wearing down over time. Even during the process, it’s important to ensure that the parlour you go to follows strict hygiene and sterilisation processes.

To avoid any implications relating to your oral health, make sure you go to your dentist to get a check-up. If you already have any implications related to your oral health, I would advise you not to get a piercing. However, if you do get a piercing, ensure that the area around the piercing is kept clean and try to avoid smoking until the area has healed.

* For more information about dental issues, contact Synergy Dental Clinics Bolton, email bolton@synergydental.org.uk or go to https://synergydental.org.uk/synergy-dental/dentist-in-bolton/