ORAL PIERCINGS

We all have our own fashion sense from clothes to tattoos and oral piercings. There are many different oral piercings which I will discuss further the most popular ones, the materials used and the oral implications.

The most common oral piercing is the tongue which consist of cylindrical (cone) shape with a ball bearing to hold it securely in place. Another popular piercing is pictured below and is called a vertical labret. The third most favoured piercing is called a labret which is located just below the bottom lip and is a simple stud that goes from the outside of the lower lip and is secured on the inside of the lower lip. The remainder of the other piercings can be located anywhere on the lips, tops and corners. The types of metals used for piercings can be gold, stainless steel, titanium and various alloys or synthetic materials. The problem with oral piercings that if the oral secured stud or ball to hold tongue piercing are metal it can have major detrimental oral consequences. First and foremost a tongue piercing can easily chip enamel away from your teeth and labret piercing can actually wear away your gums of the lower anteriors exposing root surfaces which left untreated can lead to tooth loss. The safest oral backing or ball for tongue is made of plastic as it is softer and will cause minimal damage to the teeth and soft tissue.

In closing if you are contemplating getting an oral piercing do your research. Ensure you do not have any allergies to the material being used. Ask your clinician for a plastic ball or stud for the interior of the mouth. Lastly make sure to clean your piercing(s) regularly to avoid infection.