Before you decide to get an oral piercing, always consider the effect it can have on your mouth. Possible risks of oral piercings (particularly tongue piercings) may include:
- infection
- chipped or cracked teeth
- gum damage
- nerve damage (resulting in loss of sensation in the tongue)
- interference with speaking and swallowing
- potential blockage of airways due to excessive swelling
- excessive drooling
- excessive bleeding from the accidental piercing of a blood vessel or artery
- ongoing pain (neuralgia)
- HIV or hepatitis from the use of non-sterile equipment
- internal damage which may be caused by accidentally swallowing loose jewellery
What you can do?
Before you get your mouth pierced, it is wise to check with your doctor if you are pregnant, have allergies, heart disease, diabetes or a skin disorder.
If you want to get an oral piercing, get it done professionally and seek after care advice from your piercer. In particular, request information and evidence of their sterilising processes. Do not pierce yourself or get a friend to do it.
Talk to us about this
Our Kogarah dentists can talk you through what this means for your own teeth, and what a visit would involve.
Village Dental Kogarah is at Shop 5/23-26 Station St, Kogarah NSW 2217. Eight clinicians work across our two Sydney practices, including a dental prosthetist — meet the team. We look after patients from Kogarah, Kogarah Bay, Rockdale, Bexley, Bexley North, Carlton, Allawah, Banksia, Monterey and Sans Souci. If you would like to talk it through, call (02) 9281 0007 or book a time online.
A note on this articleThis is general information written for patients, not dental advice for your own mouth. Teeth, gums and medical histories differ, and so does what suits them, so please have a dentist examine you before deciding on any treatment. If something in your mouth is painful, bleeding or has been knocked out, ring us on (02) 9281 0007 rather than waiting.