Dangers of Lip Piercings

The dangers of lip piercings are not immediately evident, but problems can build up over time. If you have this type of piercing or you're thinking about getting one, be sure you understand what you may be doing to your mouth.

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Know the Dangers of Lip Piercings

If you're reading this article, chances are good you are thinking about getting a lip piercing or you might already own one. Maybe you're even considering getting your third or fifth piercing.

Lip piercings are quite seductive, and for some of us, downright addictive. After all, there are so many ways to pierce your lips it's hard to settle on just one look. Piercings are also gaining more acceptance in the workplace, which means that more of us feel free to express our love of body art.

However, this upswing in lip piercings has also led to an upswing in lip piercing complications. The mouth is an amazing piece of human machinery, and everything works together in a delicate balance. Adding a lip piercing to the mix can sometimes be akin to throwing a monkey wrench into the gears. Something is bound to break down.

Possible Complications

Some of you may have had your lips pierced for years and haven't suffered any damage to date. This likely means that you had a very talented and knowledgeble piercing artist do your work. Your piercer understood exactly how to place your piercing to keep it from causing erosion to the delicate tissues and teeth it needs to coexist with.

Others have not been so lucky with their lip piercings. Whether the procedure wasn't done correctly in the first place, or the piercee's body chemistry simple chose to reject the piercing, the story varies from person to person. The point we're trying to make is that quite often, a lip piercing goes wrong.

The problems may appear almost immediately, or they may only come to light months or years after the piercing was carried out. This is because many of the dangers of lip piercings take time to develop, and they may go unnoticed in the early stages.

The moral of the story is: Know what you're getting into before you pierce. If you understand the type of damage you might possibly be doing to your mouth, and you still believe your desire for the body art outweighs the risks then at least you've made an informed decision. You can deal with the consequences, if any, later.

Those consequences could include:

• Infections: These can be caused by improperly disinfected piercing tools, an unsterile piercing environment or less than stellar after care on your part.
• Nerve damage: This can happen during the actual piercing if you choose a less than fully experienced piercer.
• Tooth erosion/cracking: If your piercing isn't located in just the right spot, your jewelry will rub against your teeth.
• Tooth decay: This is typically an extension of erosion. Once the enamel is worn off, decay can quickly follow.

• Gum erosion: This is caused when your jewelry rubs against the gums.
• Gum recession: Your gums can shrink away in the spot your jewelry comes in contact with them.
• Tooth scrambling: Without healthy gums, the jawbone itself can be exposed to infection and erosion. When this happens the teeth loosen and change position. Sadly, scrambled teeth are usually the first thing you notice, after the real damage is done.
• Sensitive teeth: This is another by-product of gum recession. As the gums recede, the nerves of the teeth become exposed and sensitive.
• Tooth loss: This is the final outcome of gum loss and decay.
• HIV: This is one consequence everyone should take seriously. There are many fine professionals operating out there, but it just takes one careless misstep to transfer this incurable virus from one customer to the next.
• Hepatitis: This risk goes hand-in-hand with the caution about HIV. Bottom line, educate yourself about sterile procedures and make sure any piercer you choose is using them. This includes checking up on the shop to see how it has fared in recent health inspections.

Conclusion

LoveToKnow Tattoos is a celebration of body art, but that celebration doesn't include turning a blind eye to anyone's health. You have to remain health conscious to protect yourself, even while you're doing something you love. Just something to keep in mind.

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