The fashion for tongue piercings is causing serious dental problems in young people, experts have warned.
Studs or bars in the mouth can lead to fractured teeth, receding gums, and loss of bone, say dentists.
'Constantly playing with the piercing in your mouth, and the irritation that occurs from it, causes gum recession, which can also lead to actual bone loss,' said Dr Liran Levin from the University of Alberta, Canada, who has carried out extensive research into the problem.
'When you're sleeping and you clench your teeth, the piercing can break and be swallowed or inhaled as well.
'I see patients who have cracked teeth or receded gums and end up requiring a lot of dental treatment as a result.'
More than half (51.9 per cent) of the young adults with piercings who participated in his research complained of swelling in their mouth, while 45.7 per cent had issues with bleeding.
When their mouths were examined, 14 per cent of them were found to have fractured teeth, and 26.6 per cent had receding gums, said Dr Levin.
Anyone with a piercing should see their dentist regularly, he said, because they will be able to detect any oral problems early on, before they become serious.
As well as longer-term issues, actually having a piercing done can be dangerous, with possible severe complications including nerve damage, haemorrhaging, severe infection and swelling that can lead to obstruction of the airway and suffocation, he said.
'Proper sterilization and infection control are also important when choosing a piercer,' said Dr Levin, because of the risk of disease such as HIV, hepatitis and tetanus.
Amy Hewko, 25, is no stranger to piercings or chipped teeth.
A little more than a year after getting her lip pierced, she chipped one of her front teeth while absentmindedly playing with the bar - a bad habit she developed shortly after the piercing healed.
'My mom told me that I could only get the piercing if I didn't chip my teeth,' she said.
'I honestly didn't think it would happen to me. At 16 years old, it was humbling to admit she was right,' says Hewko, jokingly.
'If you insist on getting an oral piercing, do not play with it.'
After having a lip piercing for two years, Miss Hewko began to notice her gums had started to show signs of receding, prompting her to remove the piercing permanently.
Emaleigh Whitwick, an avid piercer who's had a piercing through her lower lip for two years, hasn't noticed any complications. But she hasn't seen a dentist either.
'You definitely play with the piercing a lot,' she said, adding that anything you eat or drink does touch the piercing.
'When you get the piercing you should follow all the instructions the piercer gives for taking care of the area.'
Miss Whitwick says if she could give advice to anyone getting a piercing, it's this: choose a reputable place.
'Watch carefully to see where the piercings are being placed,' she added. 'I had snakebites which I had to get removed because they were digging into my lip and making it swollen.
'I ended up having to get them removed.'
Credits: Daily Mail
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