Body piercing is become popular. Included in this phenomenon is piercing of the lip, and placement of a metal bar or ring through the tongue. This ornament rests in the mouth at all times and unavoidably moves as the person eats or talks.
If you have a metal bar or ring in your mouth, you should be very careful to avoid having the metal hit your teeth or gums as you move your tongue and lip. Letting the metal object move as you make your normal eating and speaking movements may cause cracks in teeth or even break off pieces of enamel. Microcracks are created by hitting them with the metal. The result of the microcracks will be future fractures of tooth enamel, necessitating extensive and expensive dental crowns. Moving metal in the mouth can also rub against the gums causing recession. Recession of the gums (and usually bone) may lead to the point of the need for gum surgery.
Tongue piercing may cause mild to severe infection upon placement and throughout the life of the piercing. Consult your dentist as soon as any soreness, redness, or draining occurs.
The best piercing is none at all, but if you must have it done, be very gentle with the movements of your tongue and lip or dental damage is inevitable.
