Mouth Piercing Is Harmful

Although it may be trendy to have the tongue, lip, or cheek pierced, the jewelry ornaments could cause serious dental problems, including a higher risk for recessed gums, loose teeth, and tooth loss, according to the cover story in the Journal of the American Dental Association (July 2003). The article reported that the most commonly pierced oral sites are the tongue at 81% and the lip at 38.1%. Tongue piercing may damage the gum tissue behind the lower front teeth, and lip piercing may injure the gum tissue in front of the lower teeth.