{"id":853,"date":"2018-10-25T06:00:30","date_gmt":"2018-10-25T10:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pointedentalgroup.com\/blog\/?p=853"},"modified":"2018-11-07T14:08:25","modified_gmt":"2018-11-07T19:08:25","slug":"oral-piercings-and-oral-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.pointedentalgroup.com\/blog\/oral-piercings-and-oral-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Oral Piercings and Oral Health: Know the Risks!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"A<\/p>\n

Piercings have continued to become more and more popular among teens and young adults over the years. This includes less common piercings like tongue piercings. But did you know that oral piercings and oral health are very closely tied? You can introduce new risks to your long-term dental health!<\/p>\n

Read on to learn about the risks, as well as some tips to help keep your mouth safe if you still decide to get an oral piercing.<\/p>\n

Infection<\/h2>\n

Your mouth is full of bacteria. No matter how much you brush, floss or use mouthwash, you can\u2019t remove it all! A tongue piercing, like any piercing, opens a wound in your body that has a potential to become infected.<\/p>\n

In the first few weeks following an oral piercing, it\u2019s critical to take the utmost care in cleaning and general dental care. Any lapse in cleaning can become an infection nightmare.<\/a><\/p>\n

Most oral piercings take up to a month for full healing. Make sure to continue using warm salt water or antibacterial rinses!<\/p>\n

Nerve Damage<\/h2>\n

Hopefully the professionals that complete an oral piercing on your tongue know what they\u2019re doing! If they\u2019re off the mark, it\u2019s possible that they can damage a nerve in your tongue. For most, this can result in short-term numbness; but sometimes the loss of feeling can be permanent!<\/p>\n

Permanent nerve damage to your tongue will have side-effects that can be life-altering, such as:<\/p>\n