One of the most popular forms of self-expression these days is a tongue piercing. Regardless of what your opinion is of these, it's important to note that the little stud you thought you so badly wanted when you turned 21 can have a big impact on your oral health if you aren't careful.
The American Dental Association lists several ways that tongue piercings can be bad for your teeth and says that by just clicking the jewlery against your pearly whites or by accidentally biting down on it and cracking your tooth, you're doing more harm to your oral health than you think.
If you have your tongue, lips or cheeks decked out with studs or other forms of jewelry, not only can they get in the way of swallowing and chewing, these piercings can also cause:
1) Infection and pain
Although you may visit your family dentist regularly and brush and floss everyday, your mouth is still home to millions of tiny microbes and when you've got a piercing, you are more prone to infection. In extreme cases, an infected tongue from a tiny stud could cause this muscle to swell which may result in an obstructed airway.
2) Damage to your fillings and gums
Constantly knocking that ring in your tongue against your teeth can scratch those pearly whites and disrupt the fillings. Your Raleigh dentist may even tell you that your chompers may become oversensitized thanks to the enamel you scratched away may have unknowingly scratched away.
3) Difficulty at your next walk in dentist appointment
You may think that those studs in and around your oral cavity are ultra stylish they can interfere with the X-rays that are taken when you visit an affordable dental care firm in the Raleigh area.
