Oral Piercings
There are serious health risks involved that should be taken into consideration.
Advice on oral piercings
In recent years piercing of the lips, tongue and cheeks has become popular with the younger generation. There are serious health risks involved that should be taken into consideration.
- Keeping the pierced area clean is essential in preventing any infections. The mouth is a harbour for bacteria and the puncturing of any part of the oral cavity can introduce these bacteria into the blood stream and the vital organs of the body.
- Infections can be bacterial and may involve the surrounding tissues. A severe swelling of the tongue could cause a blocking of the air-way. A viral infection such as hepatitis or HIV can also be transmitted.
- Bleeding can be a complication as the mouth is a very vascular region.
- Inhaling a piece of loose jewelry into the lungs can lead to major surgery.
- Fracture of teeth coming into contact with a hard piece of jewelry can easily lead to expensive dental treatment.
- Drooling, nerve damage, and speech impairments.