While tongue piercings are a popular trend among the younger generation, they are also detrimental to your oral health. Before you make an appointment with your local piercing parlor, it’s important to understand the risks involved with this body modification. Serving residents throughout Anchorage, AK, the caring family dentists at Anchorage Dental Center provide a broad range of top-quality general and cosmetic dental services, including teeth cleanings, dental implants, and emergency dental care.

Below, Anchorage’s premier family dentist shares a few of the oral health risks associated with tongue piercings:

• Infections: Piercing the tongue creates a place for harmful bacteria to collect and cause a serious infection. In addition to the pain and swelling, it’s also possible for the infection to enter the bloodstream and spread throughout the body. In the worst cases, this could even be fatal.
• Tooth Decay: The steel bars and studs that are inserted into the tongue scrape against the teeth and eat away at the enamel. This increases your chances of developing tooth decay. The jewelry can also fracture or chip your teeth if you bite down too hard on it.
• Gum Damage: In addition to damaging your teeth, the barbell in your tongue can also rub up against your gums and cause serious damage, such as recession. This exposes the roots of your teeth to infections that can cause your jaw to decay and your teeth to eventually fall out.

Before you make the decision to pierce your tongue, you should talk with your dentist about the risks. If you’re looking to schedule a teeth cleaning appointment with a family dentist in Anchorage, contact Anchorage Dental Center today at (907) 278-2521 to speak with a friendly staff member. You can also visit their website for more information about the dental clinic and their services.