Oral Piercing

From hairstyles to tattoos to jewelry, today's youth are making a fashion statement. But those that want to look cool with oral piercing may be looking to their dentists and physicians for help afterwards.

Common symptoms after oral piercing include pain, swelling, infection, an increased flow of saliva and injuries to the gum tissue. If a blood vessel was in the path of the needle during the piercing, severe and difficult-to-control bleeding can result. For some, chipped or cracked teeth, blood poisoning or even blood clots can occur. For many, the swelling of the tongue is a common side effect. And in extreme cases, a severely swollen tongue can actually close off the airway and prevent breathing.

Unfortunately, many young people with oral piercings don't realize that these alarming side effects could happen to them. So, your Ottawa family dentist encourages you to skip the mouth jewelry and let your healthy smile make your fashion statement.