So, you want an oral piercing?

We here at Huszti Dental Care would never presume to tell you how you should represent yourself. Blue hair? Great! Tattoos? Fine with us! Piercings? Go for it! Well, kind of…

We see patients with pierced tongues, lips even the frenulum — that piece of tissue joining the upper lip to the gum (more on this later). Most of the time, people don’t consult us before they get these types of piercings, but there are risks when it comes to oral piercings and if you’re considering one, here’s what you need to know.

Oral piercings bring with them many possible side effects. While a person is healing from the procedure, a piercing in the mouth or lip can change the way a person speaks and chews and sometimes those changes remain long after.

The mouth is the center of an intricate system of nerves and if a piercer hits one of them, it can cause numbness — both temporary and long-term — and nerve damage. This might permanently affect your sense of taste.

Tooth damage is also possible when a piercing is done inside the mouth. Imagine how often your tongue hits the back of your teeth. Each time that happens, when you have a bolt or stud in your tongue, there is the risk of chipping or breaking a teeth. Maybe not right away, but it’s a real possibility over time, as a tooth is weakened from regular contact with a piercing. It can also damage gums, which leads to bigger issues.

There is also a risk of infection, especially because the mouth is always full of bacteria and, depending on where the piercing is, it may be difficult to keep clean.

So let’s address the frenulum piercing. It’s also called a smiley piercing, because others can only see whatever is hanging there when you smile. It’s a recipe for trouble, especially if you think about the amount of contact that piercing will have with lip, gum and teeth.

And there is another factor: People with oral piercing tend to play with it as they get used to the feeling. That’s when minor damage happens that becomes a bigger problem later.

There is some good news: When you want to remove it, the hole can close up on its own and pretty quickly. But not always, so keep that in mind.

If you are convinced that an oral piercing is just what you need, there are ways to lessen the potential downsides. The first is to be very picky about who you pay to do the piercing. Do research and ask a lot of questions, including that person’s sanitization procedures. You must also be very diligent about keeping it clean.

Lastly, make sure you continue seeing your Huszti Dental Care professional, who can look for early signs of trouble.