Oral piercings are small holes pierced on the tongue, cheek, or lip. The piercing is to enable you to wear jewelry as you please. Piercings can be perioral or intraoral. In as much as oral piercings express your style, they can have adverse effects on the oral cavity.
Bacterial breeding ground
The mouth holds so many bacteria. Some are harmful whereas others are harmful. Harmful bacteria lead to infection and swelling in the gums. The piercing on the tongue could be a victim of bacterial attack resulting in swelling on the tongue. A swollen tongue poses various challenges. The three top challenges would be speaking, eating, and sometimes even breathing. The tongue is a sensitive part of the mouth and has many blood vessels. In the event that the piercing causes damage, it could result in too much blood loss.
Piercing safety measures
It is always wise to be up to date with all the vaccines before getting an oral piercing. More so, hepatitis B and tetanus. Ensure that you do your due diligence about your piercer. They should have a valid license and should be trained for the work. Prevention is better than cure. As such, follow closely to ensure that the tools are sterilized. More so, the jewelry should be made of surgical stainless steel, platinum, or solid gold that is not prone to rust. Remember that the oral cavity is a very moist and wet environment. Oxidation is therefore very high and this could facilitate the onset of rust.
Care and maintenance
The expected healing of an oral piercing is between three to four weeks. During and after recovery, rinsing the tongue or lip after every meal is paramount. Bite small portions of food at a time. This is to avert the chances of mistakenly biting the jewelry which could result in tooth fracture or choking. Signs of infections you need to watch out for include: swelling, bleeding, discharge, or redness around the piercing. If you notice any of these symptoms, please contact us for the best dental care and treatment.
Oral piercings are small holes pierced on the tongue, cheek, or lip. The piercing is to enable you to wear jewelry as you please. Piercings can be perioral or intraoral. In as much as oral piercings express your style, they can have adverse effects on the oral cavity.
