WHY DO ORAL PIERCINGS GET INFECTED SO EASILY?
Oral piercings have been popular for over a decade and we see many patients in our office who have sought treatment for infected piercings. The question we hear most often from these patrons is “Why do I keep getting infections around my piercing?” Today, we will answer that question in addition to address how to properly care for your mouth if you do choose to keep your oral piercing.
More Holes Equal More Hiding Spots
When you get an oral piercing, whether it is in your tongue, cheek or lip, you are adding a hole. We know this may sound rudimentary, but think about that for a minute. You are giving bacteria and plaque more dark and moist places to hide in your mouth. Bacteria are always present in the mouth, it gets there from the foods that we eat and some kinds of bacteria, no matter how carefully you brush, will always remain.
Bacteria in the mouth eats away at the enamel on the teeth, causes bad breath and can cause infection around oral piercings. The piercing is an irritant and your mouth can develop sores which can lead to infection at the piercing site. If you notice that your piercing is becoming infected, that bacteria has already spread to your entire mouth and begun working on breaking down the enamel of your teeth.
Caring For an Oral Piercing
Our first recommendation is that you consider removing your oral piercing, especially if it has become infected. Second, give our office a call right away so that we can get you in and examine the site of the infection. Using an antiseptic mouthwash can help a little, but a trip to our office is what you need. Give us a call today; we care about your oral health!
