Health Complications from Oral Piercings

To some, piercings and tongue-splitting are forms of self-expression and body art. However, if you’re considering getting one yourself, make sure you know exactly what you are going to sign up for. Here is several health risks related to oral piercings

Gum Disease: When oral piercings such as long-stem or barbell tongue jewelry come in contact with gum tissues, it can cause injury and gum recession. This leads to loose teeth, and probably tooth loss later on

Bacterial Infections: Your mouth already has a vast amount of bacteria in it, and adding up to that from handling the jewelry, not to mention the wound it created, can increase the risk of infections

Disease Transmission: Oral piercings have been identified a potential risk factor for transmitting diseases

 such as hepatitis B, C, D and G, herpes, and simplex virus

Endocarditis: A pierced tongue or any other tissue can allow bacteria to enter the bloodstream. This can then lead to a person with underlying heart conditions to develop a heart or valve inflammation known as endocarditis

Teeth Damage: Oral jewelries can crack or chip the teeth over time

Increased Production of Saliva: Because piercings encourage excessive saliva production, simple daily tasks such as chewing and swallowing food, as well as speaking become difficult to do if your tongue is pierced. Drooling, whether temporary or permanent, is another one of its downside. Your sense of taste may be altered, too

Damaged Nerve: Oral piercings damage nerves. People who have piercings usually loss their sense of taste or they feel numb at the punctured area. Some even have a problem moving their pierced tongue. Furthermore, bleeding for long periods of time can happen if blood vessels are ruptured. There are cases, too, where people have difficulty breathing because the tongue is swelling severely enough to block the airway

Allergic Reactions: Metal can cause allergic reactions.Allergic contact dermatitis, a hypersensitivity reaction,may occur to people vulnerable to metal

Aspiration to Jewelry: A loose jewelry in the mouth can be a choking hazard. In worse cases, it can injure the lungs or the digestive tract if swallowed.