Having a tongue piercing or a lip ring may be a trendy thing to do, but many people don’t realize the risks that come along with it. Teenagers and young adults especially don’t think about the side effects of these mouth accessories. If you’re considering an oral piercing, talk with your dentist first to make sure you know how to perform good oral hygiene. Some of the dangers that accompany an oral piercing include:
Infection
Our tongues and mouths are covered with bacteria, so the piercing site is at risk for infection. In fact, your entire body is endangered because bacteria can enter the piercing and get into your bloodstream. Unclean piercing equipment can also lead to infections like bloodborne hepatitis.
Tooth fractures
Teeth can be chipped and broken by mouth jewelry while you eat, talk, and sleep. A damaged tooth may require a filling, root canal, or even extraction. To lessen the risks to teeth, dentists suggest removing the jewelry while eating and sleeping.
Swelling
Tongue swelling is a common side effect of piercing. In severe cases, a swollen tongue can cut off your airway and prevent breathing.
Choking
If your mouth jewelry comes loose, it can create a choking hazard. You can also injure your digestive track or lungs if you swallow the piercing.
Uncontrolled bleeding
If the piercing hits a blood vessel, it can cause heavy bleeding that requires medical help. If your nerve is damaged, numbness may occur.
Injury to gums
An oral piercing can increase your risk for gum disease, which is a serious issue that can cause tooth loss if left untreated.
Severe dental problems can be embarrassing, uncomfortable, and impractical. The good news is that there’s a solution to problems such as broken teeth, gaps in your smile, or teeth that don’t fit together. Full mouth reconstruction allows your dentist to treat the health, appearance, and function of your mouth so that you can renew your smile and improve the way you feel.
What does full mouth reconstruction mean?
Severe dental problems can be treated through a combination of restorative and cosmetic procedures. It may involve repairing or replacing broken or missing teeth, bones, and tissue to help you achieve a healthy and beautiful smile.
What kinds of procedures are involved?
The procedures necessary depend on the extent of the damage in your mouth. Some types of dentistry that are considered reconstructive include dental implants and bridges, both used to replace teeth that are missing or broken beyond repair. Dental crowns can be placed to repair cracked and damaged teeth. Tooth-colored fillings may be implemented for a healthy smile without noticeable repairs. Inlays and onlays can be used to address tooth decay, and temporomandibular joint (TMJ) treatment may be needed to deal with biting problems.
Who do I see for full mouth reconstruction?
A general dentist usually can perform most of the procedures, so meet with your dentist for a full evaluation to see what kind of treatment is recommended for you. Ask to view samples of your dentist’s restorative dentistry work and previous full mouth reconstructions to make sure you are happy with the examples of procedures that might be performed on you. If not, seek the advice of another dentist until you find the right one for your needs.
A tooth that becomes infected is called an abscessed tooth. It is often very painful, and is accompanied by pus and swelling. Tooth abscesses can be dangerous if not treated, because the infection may spread throughout your body. You will want to identify and take care of an abscessed tooth as soon as you can, not only because of the associated risks but also due to the pain. Let’s learn more about this problem so you’ll be prepared if this happens to you.
Symptoms
An abscess occurs when the pulp, or center, of your tooth gets infected. It fills with pus, which is made up of white blood cells, bacteria, and dead tissue. This infection and the accompanying swelling around your tooth causes a very painful toothache, usually described as throbbing coupled with intermittent sharp pains. The pain is often so severe that you can’t even identify which tooth is causing the problem, because the pain resonates throughout your whole mouth. Some other common symptoms are fever, pain when biting or chewing, sensitivity to heat or cold, bitter taste in your mouth, foul smell to your breath, and red swollen gums.
Causes
Tooth decay or trauma, like a broken tooth, can cause an abscess. It you have a cavity, bacteria may enter the center of your tooth and form an abscess. Advanced gum disease is another cause of tooth abscesses.
Treatment
Your dentist will perform some simple tests like tapping your teeth to diagnose an abscess. X-rays are also sometimes helpful. If an abscess is found, your dentist will try to eliminate the infection, save your tooth, and avoid complications. The abscess may require draining, which is often achieved with a root canal. Sometimes extraction is necessary. Antibiotics are prescribed to fight the infection, as well as pain medication to make you more comfortable. The main thing to remember is that treatment is necessary no matter what, because an untreated abscess can lead to a life-threatening infection in your blood.
Tobacco use impacts your entire body, and your oral health is not immune to those effects. It can lead to a variety of issues, ranging from cosmetic to very serious health dangers. Let’s learn about some of the effects of tobacco use on your oral health and ways you can protect yourself.
Oral cancer
It is estimated that ninety percent of people diagnosed with oral cancer have used tobacco products. In fact, oral cancer risks are six times higher for smokers over non-smokers. Oral cancer can affect your lips, throat, tongue, and mouth. Your personal risk of oral cancer is related to how long you have used tobacco. The longer you use tobacco, the higher your cancer risk gets.
Gum disease
Cigarette smoking is linked to gum disease, which begins as inflammation and bleeding of the gums. As gum disease progresses, the bone supporting your tooth roots gets inflamed also and can cause the bone to deteriorate. Without treatment, gum disease leads to lost teeth and damage to the jawbone.
Kinds of tobacco
It is a myth that some forms of tobacco are safer than others. Regular exposure to any kind of tobacco has health risks. For example, pipe smokers usually don’t smoke very often but they can get cancer of the lips from holding the pipe in the same place on the lip each time. Also, people who use chewing (or smokeless) tobacco are at four to six times more risk of oral cancer than non-tobacco users.
Ways to protect oral health
Follow these rules to promote good oral health:
• Stop smoking. Quitting will significantly lower your risk of oral health problems, and the longer you remain a non-smoker, the lower your risk gets.
• Have regular dental checkups. Early detection and treatment of cancer can improve your prognosis.
• Practice good dental hygiene.
Pregnancy affects your whole body, and your mouth is no exception. Your hormones are changing throughout pregnancy, which can affect your teeth and gums. There are several things to watch for regarding your dental health while pregnant.
Pregnancy gingivitis
Higher levels of progesterone in your system can cause gingivitis, or inflamed gums. Your gums may become swollen and red, and they may bleed when you brush or floss your teeth. After the baby is born, pregnancy gingivitis symptoms usually disappear.
Gum disease
A more serious dental problem that affects some pregnant women is periodontal, or gum, disease. It happens when bacteria causes an infection to develop below your gum line, which can loosen your teeth or even make them fall out. Another serious side effect of gum disease is to the baby, because it increases the mother’s risk of early delivery and lower baby birth weights.
Pregnancy granuloma
A granuloma is a red growth that appears during pregnancy along the upper edge of your gums. It bleeds easily, causes discomfort, and may affect speech. Pregnancy granulomas most often happen during the second trimester, and usually dissipate after the baby’s birth.
Dry mouth
Hormonal changes can decrease the amount of saliva you produce. The resulting dry mouth increases your risk of various dental problems.
Tooth enamel erosion
The enamel on your teeth may be at higher risk of erosion due to vomiting caused by morning sickness. This risk increases the more frequent the vomiting occurs over an longer time period.
As much as many people don’t want to believe it, flossing your teeth is an important and necessary part of dental hygiene. Just brushing your teeth isn’t enough, because it doesn’t reach all of the areas that dental floss can. Just like you brush your teeth each day, you should also floss your teeth at least once daily.
What are the benefits?
Flossing helps get rid of food particles and plaque from the areas between your teeth, where your toothbrush is unable to reach. If you don’t remove plaque, it hardens to become tartar and can lead to cavities. Flossing helps prevent gum disease, tooth decay, and bad breath.
How do I get the most out of flossing?
You should floss your teeth at least once a day. If you find long threads hard to control, use a floss holder designed to help. Floss gently to avoid damaging your gum tissue.
What products should I use?
Both waxed and unwaxed dental flosses are able to clean the areas between your teeth. The important thing is to use it every day, so choose the kind you like and will use. A floss holder or interdental cleaning tools like picks may help if you have difficulty due to arthritis or vision problems, but follow your dentist’s instructions for use so you don’t harm your gums. Oral irrigators can also help remove trapped food particles, but these should not take the place of flossing and brushing. You might also choose to use mouth rinses, but they must be used in combination with the rest of your dental hygiene routine.
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