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Piercings chip teeth, cause loss of boneDear Dr. Reitz: My son knows that when he turns 18 he no longer needs my permission to get a tattoo or piercing. That birthday is happening in two months, and his plan is to have his tongue pierced that day. I don't want to stifle his independence; however, I am concerned the piercing may result in future dental problems. Is there information that I can share with my son before he follows through with this birthday wish? - Lauren Dear Lauren: When teenagers make decisions that affect their lives it is often difficult for parents to look at the decision objectively. I commend you on researching oral piercings prior to discussing this with your son. The two most common oral piercings I see are in the tongue and in the lower lip. The tongue piercing is usually a stainless steel barbell placed through the center of the tongue. The lower lip piercing is called a labret, a single piercing between the lower lip and the chin. The jewelry consists of a flat metal backing plate in the mouth resting against the lower front teeth. In a recent study of 52 adults with tongue piercings, the two recurrent dental problems were chipped teeth and bone loss of the lower front teeth. Most of the tooth damage began occurring after two years of wearing the oral jewelry. By the fourth year 47 percent of the participants had either chipped a tooth or had beginning bone loss on the lower front teeth. Bone loss occurs because the tongue barbell makes frequent contact with the bone behind the lower front teeth. Over time the rubbing action of the metal ball irritates the bone, causing it to recede. The flat metal backing plate of the labret piercing can cause bone loss on the front surface of the lower teeth. Unfortunately, the bone loss is often detected after significant damage has occurred, and can result in the loss of a tooth. The second common problem of chipped teeth is thought to occur when the tongue barbell is inadvertently bitten during eating. Fortunately, most of the chipping that I have seen was small and did not require treatment, because most insurance companies don't pay for damage from wear or chipping. Knowing the potential risk of oral piercings may prompt your son to find individuality in another manner. This column is written by John Reitz, DDS, and does not represent the opinion of the Pennsylvania State Dental Board. Dr Reitz answers questions from readers. E-mail them via his Web site at reitzdds.com or mail to John Reitz, DDS, 30 Commerce Drive, Wyomissing PA 19610 John
V. Reitz, D.D.S., F.A.G.D. Copyright
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