Request an Appointment

Toggle navigation
  • blog
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
Peoria, IL Dentist Valerin Dental Group 6901 N Knoxville Ave # 202 Peoria, IL 61614 (309) 693-2310 Dentist Logo in Peoria, IL Call For Pricing Options
  • Home
  • Dental Team
  • Dental Office
  • Services
  • New Patients
  • Appointment Request
  • Patient Education
    • Educational Videos
    • Cosmetic & General Dentistry
    • Emergency Care
    • Endodontics
    • Implant Dentistry
    • Oral Health
    • Oral Hygiene
    • Oral Surgery
    • Orthodontics
    • Pediatric Dentistry
    • Periodontal Therapy
    • Technology
  • Post OP Care and Instructions
    • Tooth Extractions
    • Root Canal
    • Dentures
  • Our Reviews

Oral Piercings

Online Dental Education Library

Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, please contact us today!

Tongue Ring.At the present time, oral piercings such as tongue bolts, cheek studs, and lip rings seem to be in vogue among a certain number of young people. Whether you find these bodily adornments appealing or repulsive is a matter of personal taste — but whichever side of the fashion divide you're on, there are a few things you should know about the impact they can have on your oral health.

According to the Journal of the American Dental Association, the tongue and lips are the most common sites for intraoral piercings. In either location, the ornament is likely to come into contact with teeth, gum tissue, and other anatomical structures in the mouth. And that's where the trouble may start.

The Anatomy of a Problem

The tongue, composed primarily of muscle tissue, is rich in blood supply and nerve endings; that's why a cut on the tongue is often painful and bloody. In a tongue piercing, a metal stud is inserted through a hole made in the tongue. The possibility of infection or the transmission of a blood-borne disease like hepatitis B exists in this situation. Rarely, the piercing may also cause immediate and severe facial pain. It's the long-term effects of an oral piercing, however, which give the most reason for concern.

As teeth regularly come into contact with the metal parts of the ornament, increased tooth sensitivity and pain may become a problem. Chipping or fracture of the teeth can also occur, which may require tooth restoration. Teeth that have already been restored (with crowns, for example) may be even more prone to damage. Plus, wherever it's located, jewelry in the mouth can trigger excessive saliva flow, impede speech, and cause problems with chewing and swallowing.

Periodontal (gum) disease can also result from wearing an oral piercing. This may first show up as injury to the soft gum tissue, and later as gum recession. It's important to understand that before the gums can recede, some of the underlying bone in the jaw must be lost. Following bone loss, inflammation and infection of the gums may occur.

When gums recede, tooth roots become exposed; this makes tooth decay more likely, since roots lack the protective enamel covering of the tooth's crown. Some studies have even shown that, over time, this condition makes gum disease more likely — primarily because it's more difficult to practice good oral hygiene with an irregular gum line. Besides causing problems in the mouth, advanced gum disease can have a potentially negative effect on your general (systemic) health.

It's Your Health — and Your Choice

If you're old enough to get an oral piercing, you're old enough to take an active part in maintaining your own oral health. If you are thinking about having a tongue bolt, lip ring, cheek stud, or other ornament placed in your mouth, talk to a dental professional about it first. Due to the increased potential for dental or periodontal problems, you will likely need to have more frequent checkups, and pay special attention to your oral hygiene.

And if the time comes when you decide that the piercing you got on an impulse isn't what you want any more, take heart: Removing it will immediately reduce your disease risk, and thus instantly improve your oral health!

Related Articles

Oral Health - Dear Doctor Magazine

How to Help Your Child Develop the Best Habits for Oral Health Proper oral health habits are easy to learn — and lead to behaviors that result in lifelong dental health. And the time to begin is as soon as your child's first baby teeth appear. From toothbrushing for your toddler to helping your teenager stay away from tobacco, Dear Doctor magazine offers the most important tips for healthy habit formation through childhood and beyond... Read Article


Learn More

  • General Dentistry
  • Same Day Crowns / CEREC
  • Sedation Dentistry
  • Root Canals

Patient Education

Patient Education
  • Educational Videos
  • Cosmetic & General Dentistry
    • Cosmetic Tooth Bonding
    • Crowns & Bridgework
    • Fillings
    • Gummy Smiles
    • Inlays & Onlays
    • Mouthguards for Adults
    • Mouthguards for Children
    • Nitrous Oxide
    • Porcelain Veneers
    • Dentures
    • Smile Makeover
    • Snoring & Sleep Apnea
    • Teeth Whitening
    • TMD
    • Tooth-Colored Fillings
    • Tooth Contouring & Reshaping
    • Tooth Decay Prevention
    • Tooth Wear
  • Emergency Care
    • Gum Injuries
    • Orthodontic Emergencies
    • Tooth Pain
    • Traumatic Dental Injuries
  • Endodontics
    • Combined Root Canal & Gum Problems
    • Cracked Teeth
    • Root Canal Retreatment
    • Root Canal Surgery (Apicoectomy)
    • Root Canals
    • Root Canal Treatment FAQs
    • Root Canal Treatment for Children
    • Tooth Sensitivity
    • Whitening Traumatized Teeth
  • Dental Implants
    • Bone Grafting
    • Dental Implants FAQs
    • Fixed Dentures
    • Hidden Consequences of Losing Teeth
    • Top Reasons to Choose Dental Implants
  • Oral Health
    • Aging & Dental Health
    • Antibiotic Premedication for Dental Treatments
    • Bad Breath
    • Blood Pressure Medications & Your Gums
    • Diabetes & Oral Health
    • Dry Mouth
    • Eating Disorders & Oral Health
    • Fluoride
    • Geographic Tongue
    • Nutrition & Oral Health
    • Oral Cancer
    • Oral Piercings
    • Osteoporosis & Oral Health
    • Pregnancy, Hormones & Oral Health
    • Preventive Dentistry
    • Professional Teeth Cleanings
    • Stress & Oral Habits
  • Oral Hygiene
    • How To Brush
    • How To Floss
    • Interdental Cleaning Devices
    • Mouthrinses
    • Oral Hygiene for Kids
    • Toothpaste
  • Oral Surgery
    • Blood Thinners & Dental Procedures
    • Bone Grafting
    • Extractions
    • Headaches & Migraines
    • Oral Cancer Screening
    • Oral Diagnosis and Biopsies
    • Sedation Dentistry
    • Wisdom Teeth
  • Pediatric Dentistry
    • Age One Dental Visit
    • Fluoride & Your Child
    • Pregnancy & Your Child's Developing Teeth
    • Sealants
    • Space Maintainers
    • Teething
    • Thumb Sucking
  • Periodontal Therapy
    • Cosmetic Gum Surgery
    • Gum Grafting
    • Loose Teeth & Bite Problems
    • Non-Surgical Periodontal Treatment
    • Oral Systemic Connection
    • Periodontal (Gum) Disease
    • Periodontal Flap Surgery
    • Professional Teeth Cleanings
    • Ultrasonic Cleanings
  • Technology
    • Air Abrasion
    • Cone Beam CT Imaging
    • Digital Dental Impressions
    • Digital X-Rays
    • Intra-Oral Camera
    • Laser Decay Diagnosis
    • Laser Dentistry
    • CEREC
  • Post Op Care and Instructions

Our Location

Peoria, IL Dentist
Valerin Dental Group
6901 N Knoxville Ave # 202
Peoria, IL 61614
(309) 693-2310
Dentist Logo in Peoria, IL
Call For Pricing Options
drvalerin@gmail.com

Map & directions

 

Valerin Dental Group Events

 
 
Peoria, IL Dentist Valerin Dental Group 6901 N Knoxville Ave # 202 Peoria, IL 61614 (309) 693-2310 Dentist Logo in Peoria, IL Call For Pricing Options
  • Home
  • Dental Team
  • Dental Office
  • Services
  • New Patients
  • Patient Education
  • Appointment Request
  • Dentist Web Design Copyright © MH Sub I, LLC dba Officite
  • Disclaimer
  • Patient Privacy
  • Site Map