Don’t let piercings put a hole in your oral health
A leading health charity is calling on people to understand the risks associated with oral piercings after uncovering their remarkable popularity.
Research carried out by the Oral Health Foundation found tongue piercings are particularly popular, with 43% of people with oral piercings opting for them. A third (33%) of people had a lip piercing, with cheek (3%) and gum (7%) piercings much less common.
The poll also found that 13% of people with oral piercings had more than one, highlighting the current popularity of the trend.
The charity wants everyone who has, or is considering getting, an oral piercing to understand the risks associated with them and take the necessary steps to avoid the health problems which they are related to.
CEO of the Oral Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, discussed the hazards which oral piercings can have on a person’s oral health.
Dr Carter said: “Our research has found that a sizeable amount of people are choosing to have oral piercings, they have become a very fashionable form of self-expression but not everybody realises the potential long and short term damages that they can have on our mouths.
“Oral piercings are a major cause of chipped or cracked teeth due to trauma when they come into contact with the teeth; many people even have a habit of biting or playing with their piercing which can be extremely dangerous and can often lead to extensive dental work.
“The mouth also contains a huge amount of bacteria and is an ideal place for infection to arise, this is especially the case with new piercings as it is an open wound and needs constant care and attention to prevent infection. An infection can quickly lead to other more serious conditions such as blood poisoning (septicaemia).
“The act of getting a piercing is itself very dangerous as if done incorrectly can cause issues such as permanent numbness of the tongue, blood loss, excessive swelling which affects breathing and swallowing and and in severe cases and increased risk of HIV and Hepatitis B.”
Read the full article at DentalHealth.org
